Supermarket giant, Lidl, has placed a complete ban on all confectionary and crisps being located at checkouts in a bid to encourage healthy eating amongst customers.
Over 600 supermarkets across the UK have had their chocolate and sweet displays removed as the result of a 10-week trial run proving popular with shoppers.
Lidl research figures showed that 52% of parents found it difficult to get their children to eat healthily while snacks were visible everywhere, particularly at store checkouts.
The Healthy Checkouts initiative began in 2013, and due to the positive feedback, confectionary and crisps will be replaced with more nutritious options such as dried fruits and nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and juices.
Research also showed that tills without treats had 20% more footfall than those that did.
According to Ronny Gottschlich, managing director of Lidl UK, the chain is the first supermarket to implement a complete ban.
“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.
“Parents are in favour of healthier checkouts and with six in 10 households visiting Lidl at least once in the last year and five million customers a week coming through our doors, it’s important for us to meet their needs and concerns.”
Hat-tip: Gazette and Herald
