Tackling pester power: Lidl to remove cartoon characters from cereal packaging

03 Jan 2020 --- Lidl GB is to stop displaying cartoon characters on its own-brand cereal ranges by spring 2020 to help parents tackle pester power in the supermarket aisles and encourage healthier choices. The move is in response to nearly three-quarters of parents saying they experience pester power from their children while shopping. Over half of parents believe cartoon characters on cereal packaging encourages this behavior, according to Lidl research.

The discounter is removing cartoon characters from the packaging of the following items and introducing new, cartoon-free branding: Honey & Peanut Cornflakes, Multigrain Rings, Honey Rings, Choco Rice, Rice Snaps, Frosted Flakes, Honey Rings, Choco Shells and Cereal Cookies.

“We want to help parents across Britain make healthy and informed choices about the food they buy for their children,” says Georgina Hall, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility. “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 percent 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 percent 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 vegetables 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 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. The retailer has also expanded its 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 and increased the number of vegetables featured across its marketing, including newsletters, in-store leaflets and social media.

 Edited by Gaynor Selby