Lidl is making a huge change at all 1,000 stores and parents will love it
Lidl is making a huge change at all of its stores and parents are going to love it.
The move is aimed to reduce kids nagging their parents to buy unhealthy products due to the appeal of the packaging, otherwise known as “pester power“.
The discounter is scrapping cartoon characters, bright colours, and playful designs from the packaging of its least healthy own-brand products by mid-2025.
That means no more gummy bears with smiley faces or jazzy snack wrappers aimed at catching kids’ attention.
Lidl is the first British supermarket to take this step, going even further than tough new government rules coming into force in October 2025.
Those laws will crack down on junk food advertising to kids, but Lidl said the move shows it’s leading the way to help parents make healthier choices.
The change builds on Lidl’s earlier efforts to tackle childhood obesity.
Back in 2020, it ditched cartoon characters from its breakfast cereals, and by 2024, all less healthy products aimed at kids were stripped of playful designs.
In 2014, Lidl was ahead of the pack by banning sweets and chocolates from checkouts.
The latest changes will be implemented in all Lidl’s nearly 1,000 stores.
Richard Bourns, Lidl GB’s chief commercial officer, said: “As a father myself, I know how hard it can be to deal with pester power when shopping.
“Packaging plays a big role in what children want, so we’re stepping up to make healthier choices easier for parents.”
The move also comes as the government tightens the rules on food advertising.
By the end of this year, junk food ads will be banned online and on TV before 9pm to limit kids’ exposure.
Health campaigners have praised Lidl’s move.
Rebecca Tobi from The Food Foundation said: “It’s great to see a big retailer taking responsibility and helping families make healthier choices. Kids deserve better.”
So next time you head down the aisles, expect to see simpler designs on snacks and sweets – and fewer meltdowns from kids begging for the brightest, flashiest treats.
Lidl’s no-nonsense approach might be just what families need to stick to their healthy eating resolutions this year.
But this isn’t the only major supermarket change in a move towards healthier habits.
In a drastic plan to cut down on food waste, pre-packed fruit and veg is set to come to an end.
Instead of buying bags of produce, customers will be instead pick loose fruit and veg.
Although many supermarkets are already selling fresh items in recyclable bags, the proposed ban will make it compulsory for all stores.
It comes as shoppers faced even higher food costs, thanks to government packaging waste plans, according to an industry body.
Meanwhile, shoppers could start seeing a new shake up in supermarkets as a major checkout feature is set to be axed from all products very soon.
After 50-years of use, supermarkets are binning bar codes and replacing them with QR codes which shoppers can scan for information.
According to the Daily Mail, major retailers Tesco, Ocado and Morrisons are already using QR codes on products, with milk cartons among the first to make the switch.
MORE CHANGES
Here are some of the changes you can expect to see in supermarket aisles in 2025.
Changes to yellow stickers and coupons
Yellow discount stickers are hunted out by hoards of of shoppers every day, but many have started to see changes in the way they’re used – and more could be afoot in 2025.
Sainsbury’s shoppers were left frustrated at the checkout last year when the supermarket began requiring staff approval to pay for discounted items.
As a result shoppers had to call over employees to sign off on their reduced purchases while using the self checkout.
The additional security measures were used for reduced items as well as coupons, following reports of a surge in fakes being circulated.
Sainsbury’s apologised for the frustration but said it needed to take measures to prevent fraud.
Shoppers will be hoping to see a less frustrating solution in 2025.
Security at exits
A small number of Lidl stores now require customers to scan a barcode on their receipt at the self-checkout before they can leave the shop.
Signs above the checkouts warn customers to keep their receipts to operate the exit gates.
Similar barriers have also been introduced in other major shops and supermarkets including Primark, Morrisons and Aldi and shoppers can expect to see more this year.
Electronic pricing labels
New technology – called electronic shelf labels – has been quietly trailed by supermarkets and it could see a major change to the way prices are displayed in 2025.
The technology allows prices to be displayed electronically and automatically updated throughout the day.
You might have already spotted the futuristic pricing system at German discounters such as Aldi and Lidl.
Large-scale self checkouts
Several supermarkets have been looking to introduce large-scale self checkouts that allow shoppers to pay for big shops without waiting for an manned station.
Marks & Spencer has begun rolling out the “assisted belted checkouts” and has plans to expand the technology to even more locations in the near future.
Other supermarkets including Sainsbury’s have also started experimenting with similar self-checkout innovations.
Cash-free supermarkets
In a huge shake up for shoppers retailers such as Tesco and Asda have cut cash payments in some of their outlets to cut queues.
In August 2024, Tesco revealed it would be going cashless at cafés in 40 UK sites.
Supermarket giant Asda also has 267 cashless petrol stations, where customers must pay at pump by card to fill up.
Anti-theft measures
Shoppers can also expect to see an increase in cameras.
Lincolnshire Co-op has trialled staff body cams after recording a 245% increase in incidents of threats and abuse towards team members.
While Iceland’s executive chairman Richard Walker said in a LinkedIn post he would “happily” trial facial recognition cameras to combat crime.
Vape and cigarette vending machines
Asda has trialled vape and cigarette vending machines to tackle anti social behaviour and more could be seen this year.