Lidl has announced plans to remove cartoon characters from all its own-brand cereal packaging in the UK by spring.
If you’re a parent (or you’ve ever had to babysit), you’ll know how difficult it is to only give children the healthiest choices when they’re wheedling their way to the most sugar-packed products with the trendiest advertising around.
Cereal packaging has been a major area of contention for just this reason.
Major brands have come under pressure to tone down the bright, colourful, character-led packaging on high sugar products, all seemingly designed to attract kids. Consider your average bag of granola and compare the packaging to a sugary product aimed at kids.
Lidl is answering calls for change by getting rid of all cartoon characters from its own-brand cereal packaging.
By spring 2020, you’ll no longer spot cartoon characters on the boxes of Honey & Peanut Cornflakes, Multigrain Rings, Honey Rings, Choco Rice, Rice Snaps, Frosted Flakes, Choco Shells, and Cereal Cookies.
They’re waiting a few months so they can ‘allow existing stock to sell through and reduce waste’.
Lidl says the move will encourage healthier choices and help parents tackle ‘pester power’ from their children, after a survey of 1,000 parents found that three-quarters experience pressure from their kids and that half believe cartoon characters on cereal packaging encourages this.
Georgina Hall, Lidl’s head of corporate social responsibility, said: ‘We want to help parents across Britain make healthy and informed choices about the food they buy for their children.
‘We know pester power can cause difficult battles on the shop floor and we’re hoping that removing cartoon characters from cereal packaging will alleviate some of the pressure parents are under.
‘This latest move underpins our commitment to making good food accessible for everyone and helping customers lead healthier lives.’
Along with changes to the packaging, Lidl has reduced the volume of sugar across its own-brand cereal range by 20% since 2015.
This joins Lidl’s other actions to encourage healthier eating, including the fun-size fruit and vegetable range, the pick of the week promotions, and increasing the number of vegetables featured in marketing.
Professor Louis Levy, from Public Health England (PHE), said of the decision: ‘It’s encouraging to see Lidl take these steps and we look forward to seeing more retailers step up to the challenge.
‘Using cartoon characters to promote unhealthy products to children drives a preference for more sugary options, which can damage their health.
‘The food industry has a responsibility to put healthier options in the spotlight by improving what’s inside and outside of the packet.’
Katharine Jenner, a nutritionist at the charity Action on Sugar, added: ‘We fully applaud Lidl GB’s decision to remove cartoon characters from all its cereal packaging by spring 2020.
‘If they can do it, why can’t everyone else? We hope the tide is now turning and that other retailers and food manufacturers will follow suit for both own-label and branded products.
‘We’re in the midst of a child obesity crisis and it’s wrong to advertise sugary, fatty, salty foods to kids.
‘It’s time for the Government to step in and underpin tighter advertising restrictions with similar rules for packaging and promotions.’
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/04/lidl-remove-cartoon-characters-cereal-packaging-12000174/
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