ving all sweets, chocolates and crisps from checkouts at its 600 UK stores in favor of healthier alternatives in what is being seen as a move against obesity.The decision follows evidence that parents’ attempts to encourage children to eat healthily are being sabotaged because of the easy available of junk food snacks.
Earlier in the week, the newly formed National Obesity Forum warned that the obesity epidemic, could be far worse than previously predicted and made calls for a sugar tax. Both consumer groups and parents are likely to welcome the move as concerns grow over Britain’s childhood obesity problem. The move by Lidl could put pressure on other supermarkets to follow suit.
Last year, the company increased its number of ‘healthy tills’, selling juice and fresh fruit instead of confectionery to 1,200.
The managing director of Lidl UK, Ronny Gottschlich, said the chain is the first to implement a total ban. ‘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,’ he said.
‘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," he added.
However, a column in the English newspaper, The Independent, claims that the decision has "sod all to do with health" and was taken on the back of research that shows shoppers prefer a sweet free checkout, thus making plain business sense.
