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Tesco to end checkout sweets in 'healthy choice' move | Tesco to end checkout sweets in 'healthy choice' move |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Tesco is to stop sweets and chocolates being sold at checkouts at its smaller stores in the UK in an effort to help customers make healthier choices. | |
The supermarket giant said it would take away confectionery from near its tills by the end of the year after conducting research into the issue. | The supermarket giant said it would take away confectionery from near its tills by the end of the year after conducting research into the issue. |
Larger Tesco stores stopped selling sweets at checkouts 20 years ago. | Larger Tesco stores stopped selling sweets at checkouts 20 years ago. |
Public Health Minister Jane Ellison welcomed the move saying it would help tackle obesity and ill health. | |
Tesco says its research found about two-thirds of customers questioned said removing confectionery from checkouts would help them make healthier choices. | |
Calories | |
A spokesman said sweets and chocolates would also be removed from areas around the tills, and not stacked at a child's eye level. | |
The latest announcement will affect Tesco Metro and Express stores throughout the UK. | The latest announcement will affect Tesco Metro and Express stores throughout the UK. |
Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke said: "We all know how easy it is to be tempted by sugary snacks at the checkout, and we want to help our customers lead healthier lives. | Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke said: "We all know how easy it is to be tempted by sugary snacks at the checkout, and we want to help our customers lead healthier lives. |
"We've already removed billions of calories from our soft drinks, sandwiches and ready meal ranges... and we will continue to look for opportunities to take out more." | "We've already removed billions of calories from our soft drinks, sandwiches and ready meal ranges... and we will continue to look for opportunities to take out more." |
Ms Ellison said Tesco was responding to the "clear demands" of customers for healthy checkouts. | |
"This initiative will help people to make healthier choices, which all contributes to reducing the long-term cost to our nation of obesity and ill-health," she said. | |
Earlier this year Lidl announced that it too had introduced a policy to remove sweets and chocolates from checkouts for the same reasons cited by Tesco. | |
And a report by consumer watchdog Which? published in December 2012 found that the Co-operative and Sainsbury's imposed similar bans, although not at smaller Sainsbury's stores. | And a report by consumer watchdog Which? published in December 2012 found that the Co-operative and Sainsbury's imposed similar bans, although not at smaller Sainsbury's stores. |
According to the report Marks & Spencer had a policy to remove checkout confectionery "with characters or designs likely to appeal to children" from some tills with conveyor belts. | According to the report Marks & Spencer had a policy to remove checkout confectionery "with characters or designs likely to appeal to children" from some tills with conveyor belts. |
And the report said Morrisons was "reviewing its policy" on the issue. | |
'Frustrating' | 'Frustrating' |
Katie O'Donovan, of parenting website Mumsnet, said Tesco's move was "positive" and would make life "that little bit easier". | |
She said: "Popping into a shop with a small child in tow can sometimes feel like navigating an assault course. | She said: "Popping into a shop with a small child in tow can sometimes feel like navigating an assault course. |
"If you've made it to the checkout in one piece it can be really frustrating to then be faced with an unhealthy array of sweets designed to tempt your child." | "If you've made it to the checkout in one piece it can be really frustrating to then be faced with an unhealthy array of sweets designed to tempt your child." |
Shadow public health minister Luciana Berger also welcomed the decision. | |
The MP for Liverpool Wavertree said: "Retailers have a duty to support individuals in making healthy choices and ministers must look closely at what they can learn here." |