LIDL TO REMOVE CARTOON CHARACTERS FROM CEREAL PACKAGING

•    Lidl commits to removing cartoon characters from all its cereal packaging by spring 2020

•    The move is designed to help parents tackle pester power and encourage healthier choices  

•    This follows Lidl’s success in reducing the volume of sugar across in its own-brand by over 20%* since 2015 and builds on its legacy as the first supermarket to remove sweets and chocolates from checkouts nationwide

3 Jan 2020: Lidl GB is today announcing that it will stop displaying cartoon characters on its own-brand cereal ranges by spring 2020, to help parents tackle pester power in the supermarket aisles.

The move is in response to nearly three-quarters of parents saying they experience pester power from their children in the supermarket, with over half believing cartoon characters on cereal packaging encourages this**.  

To help parents tackle pester power and make healthy and informed choices, Lidl is removing cartoon characters from the packaging of the following items, introducing new, cartoon-free branding: 

•    Honey Nut Flakes 
•    Honey Hoops
•    Choco Rice
•    Rice Snaps
•    Frosted Flakes
•    Choco Hoops 
•    Choco Shells
•    Cereal Cookie

Georgina Hall, 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.”

The removal of cartoon characters from all own-brand cereals builds on Lidl’s existing work, which has seen the supermarket achieve a reduction of over 20%* in the volume of sugar across its own-brand cereal range since 2015. This is ahead of the target set by Public Health England’s Childhood Obesity Plan, to reach a 20% reduction in sugar levels by 2020.

In 2014, Lidl became the first supermarket in Britain to remove sweets and chocolates from checkouts nationwide. Building on this, in 2017 Lidl signed the Food Foundation’s Peas Please pledge aimed at helping everyone in the UK eat an extra portion of veg a day and, currently, the supermarket sells proportionately the most fruit and veg in the sector. In recent years, Lidl has also:

•    Continued to develop its award winning Oaklands Fun Size fruit and vegetable range to include cucumbers, apples and bananas with child-friendly packaging to encourage kids to eat their five-a-day. 

•    Expanded its industry leading cut-price ‘Pick of the Week’ promotions , which feature at the entrance of its stores, from four fruit and veg items to six – helping to make fresh produce more accessible.  

•    Increased the number of vegetables featured across its marketing, including newsletters, in-store leaflets and Lidl social media accounts.  

•    Contributed to ITV and The Food Foundation’s landmark advertising campaign – Veg Power – launched in January 2019, aimed at getting kids to eat more vegetables. 

END

Notes to Editors
*Sales Weighted Average 
**Research conducted by Opinium with a sample of 1,000 parents of primary school children (aged 4-11), February 2019
Lidl will be introducing cartoon-free packaging on its Crownfield cereals from Spring 2020, to allow existing stock to sell through and reduce waste.