Healthier snacking options

New research from Lidl has found that 52% of parents find it difficult to get their children to eat healthily when there are snacks everywhere, particularly at supermarket checkouts. The findings come as Lidl announces the nation wide rollout of its Healthy Checkouts initiative, which will see sweets and chocolates being replaced with dried fruits, nuts and seeds. The move follows a successful trial in 2013 and positive customer feedback.

Lidl’s research found that 68% of parents are pestered for chocolate at the checkout by their children, and 66% admit giving in some or all of the time. 15% of parents claim that this adds up to them spending around £20-40 a month on supermarket snacks.

10% of parents say its difficult to say no to their children when they ask for snacks, and 16% admit using snacks as a reward for being well-behaved on the shopping trip.

61% of parents say they want supermarkets to offer healthier alternatives and just 5% of parents are opposed to the move.

Ronny Gottschlich, Managing Director, Lidl UK, says: “We’re the first supermarket to take such a bold step. We’re committed not only to raising awareness of the importance of bal-anced 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.”