As families focus on adopting better habits in the new year, Lidl is reaffirming its commitment to responsible marketing by removing all packaging designs deemed attractive to children from its least healthy own-brand products by mid-2025.
Going further than new UK legislation that is set to restrict the advertising of less healthy to children from October 2025, the discounter will eliminate design elements, such as 3D or animated shapes, brightly coloured patterns, or playful product names that do not reflect the items themselves. For example, Lidl’s popular gummy bears will transition from its bright, cartoon-adorned packaging to a simpler, more product-focused design that emphasises its fruit flavours.
This latest move builds on its 2020 packaging changes, when Lidl became the first UK supermarket to confirm the removal of cartoon characters from its breakfast cereals to help parents resist pester power, paving the way for other retailers to follow suit. In Spring 2024, this policy was expanded to ban cartoon characters from all ‘less healthy’ products aimed at children. These changes followed on from the discounter removing sweets and chocolates from checkouts nationwide in 2014, ahead of its competitors.
Lidl’s strengthened commitment aims to ensure that any product deemed as least healthy according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Nutrient Profiling Model or the Food Standards Agency (FSA) 2004/05 Nutrient Profiling Model, alongside any breakfast cereal, cannot be marketed in a way that appeals to children, with only the healthiest of products being targeted at them.
Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB, 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.”
Rebecca Tobi, senior business and investor engagement manager at the Food Foundation, added: “Despite the critical importance of good nutrition for children, commercial foods high in sugar and salt are often heavily marketed towards children, making it impossibly hard for families to navigate their way through the supermarket aisles without falling victim to pester power. Ahead of new government regulation coming in later this year, this is a very welcome and market leading move by Lidl GB to better support families to access healthier diets.”
Lidl’s approach balances the need to create appealing designs for families while encouraging healthier food choices. It will continue to ensure its packaging remains engaging but will focus on celebrating the quality and natural characteristics of its products. In 2020, the discounter became the first British supermarket to introduce a range of healthy products specifically designed to encourage children to eat more greens. Oaklands Funsize comprises of fresh fruit and veg with quirky names and cartoon characters, such as Banana-Llamas and Tawny Tomatowl.
Lidl’s announcement comes at a time when many families are setting new year goals for healthier living. Alongside this initiative, Lidl’s Healthy Eating Hub offers parents practical tools such as simple swaps, nutritious recipes, and tips to encourage balanced eating habits. This latest move is part of the discounter’s long-term ambition of aligning with the EAT Lancet Planetary Health Diet by 2050, which is key to achieving a more healthy and sustainable future.
