The announcement follows an overall increase of more than a third in sales of its Oaklands Funsize range which was launched in 2017 with specially designed packaging
The move is expected to encourage children to eat more greens. (Credit: Lidl GB)
Germany-based discount retailer Lidl has appealed to supermarkets to make packaging design changes in fruit and vegetable products to attract more children.
The announcement follows the launch of its Oaklands Funsize range with specially designed packaging that resulted in an overall increase of more than a third in sales.
In the past, Lidl was the first British supermarket to launch a new line of healthy products specifically to encourage children to eat more greens. The range includes fresh fruit and vegetables with quirky names and cartoon characters like Banana-Llamas and Tawny Tomatowl.
Apart from that, the firm also motivates young children to take part in competitions to name and design their own cartoon characters. This resulted in the introduction of characters like Koala Pears which help sell nearly a quarter of a million additional units.
Lidl CCO Peter de Roos said: “Our ambition is to make high quality, healthy food accessible to all, and the principal way we achieve this is through our best value prices. But we also recognise that there are other barriers in place, particularly concerning children, and parents are telling us that unhelpful packaging is one of them.
“This is something that’s so simple for us supermarkets to change, and our results show the positive impact that these small changes can make.
“We hope other supermarkets follow in our footsteps so that, as a sector, we can be confident we’re doing all we can to support parents in helping to improve the diets of the next generation.”
The discount retailer has also pledged to remove cartoon characters from the packaging of all its unhealthy products by spring 2024 to help children eat healthier diets.
The move will affect 14 different product categories like sweets, chocolates, and savoury snacks.
Additionally, at least 30 products will get a fresh look, including the discounters Sweet Fruit Chews and Multicoloured Fizzy Belts, Lidl said.
This move comes after Lidl removes cartoon characters from cereal packaging in 2020.
The latest announcement is intended to support its new Healthy & Sustainable Diets Policy, which aims to offer healthier, more sustainable, and easier diets to its customers.