Lidl has decided to remove chocolate and sweets from checkout lanes in its UK stores.
The discount grocer said a majority of parents had told the retailer they wanted to see “healthier checkouts”.
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Dried fruits and nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and fruit juices will replace the confectionery lines this month.
Ronny Gottschlich, MD of Lidl UK, said: “We’re the first supermarket to take such a bold step. We’re committed not only to raising awareness of the importance of balanced diets and healthy lifestyles, but also to making it easier for our customers to follow them. We know how difficult it can be to say no to pester power, so by removing sweets and chocolates from our tills we can make it easier for parents to reward children in healthier ways.”
There was praise in campaign circles for the move. Malcolm Clark, co-ordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign, which has been calling for junk-free checkouts, said: “We congratulate Lidl for making this move and leading the way on removing unhealthy snacks from checkouts. The onus is now on other supermarkets and retailers to follow suit.”
In September, the Children’s Food Campaign and The British Dietetic Association launched a campaign to urge UK retailers to permanently remove unhealthy snacks from checkouts and queuing areas. They also called for the Government to revisit proposals to ban junk food from supermarket checkouts.
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By GlobalData
