Discounter Lidl has said it will ditch all packaging designs it deems “attractive to children” from its least healthy own-brand products by the middle of the year.
In what Lidl claims is an industry first, the retailer said it would aim to discontinue design elements that incorporate “3D or animated shapes, brightly coloured patterns, or playful product names” from non-healthy own-brand products, in a move that would go further than the HFSS legislation requires.
As an example, Lidl said its own brand gummy bears will “transition from its bright, cartoon-adorned packaging to a simpler, more product-focused design that emphasises its fruit flavours”.
The discounter explained its “strengthened commitment” aims to ensure that any product deemed as “least healthy according to the World Health Organisation’s Nutrient Profiling Model” or the Food Standards Agency’s model “cannot be marketed in a way that appeals to children, with only the healthiest of products being targeted at them”.
Lidl GB commercial officer Richard Bourns said: “We know that households want to achieve healthier lifestyles and so we’re fully committed to helping families adopt better habits while still having access to high-quality, affordable, and enjoyable products. As a father of young children myself, I know how influential packaging designs can be on their preferences, and therefore understand the importance of taking a proactive position to better support parents up and down the country.
“Introducing these changes ahead of the upcoming legislation on advertising, signals our readiness to meet and exceed these standards. Lidl has long been making changes for the better, so it’s great that we’re continuing our legacy of leading the way in supporting healthier lifestyles by removing unhelpful packaging and enhancing designs for products that contribute to better diets, like our Funsize fruit and veg range.”
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