Asda has made the decision to ban cartoons from its own-brand treats to tackle child obesity, the supermarket chain has confirmed.
Supermarket retailers have faced increasing pressure from health campaigners to play their part in the fight against obesity in children which saw Lidl make similar changes recently.
Georgina Hall, head of corporate social responsibility, said last year: “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.”
As a result of campaigning, Asda confirmed it will be joining Lidl in removing all cartoon characters from packaging.
Asda is one of the nation’s most popular retailers with over 600 stores across the UK and is classed as one of the ‘big four’ supermarket chains alongside Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
The move will affect nine own-brand ice creams and ice lollies, 14 own-brand confectioneries and four milk products.
It follows the supermarket giant’s decision to remove cartoon characters from 12 Asda cereal boxes last year, BirminghamLive reports.
Asda nutritionist Beth Fowler said: “We understand retailers play a crucial role in helping customers make more informed choices in the supermarket aisles, which is why we’ve taken the step to erase cartoon characters from our own brand cereals.
“We’ve launched a new ‘Live Better’ icon, signposting the healthiest options in Asda own brand ranges. It’s just one of the many initiatives Asda is rolling out in 2020 to help make a positive impact on our customers lives.”
The decision was welcomed by Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum who said: “There’s a lot of research that shows kids are taken with animals pictured on food wrapping and cartons and pester parents to buy the products but they don’t care what’s inside.
“What Asda and Lidl have done is a step in the right direction but more could be done - others need to follow suit and I would also like to see more sugar removed from cereals.
“The overall cost of obesity and related illnesses is £24 billion a year but the Government is doing nothing about it.”
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