Lidl has announced plans to remove all packaging designs attractive to children from its least healthy own-brand products by mid-2025, in a move that goes beyond upcoming UK legislation.
The supermarket chain will eliminate elements such as 3D shapes, animated designs and brightly coloured patterns from products that do not meet health standards set by the World Health Organisation and Food Standards Agency.
The initiative comes as families focus on adopting better habits in the new year, with Lidl reaffirming its commitment to responsible marketing practices.
The changes will affect products like Lidl’s popular gummy bears, which will transition from bright, cartoon-adorned packaging to a simpler design emphasising fruit flavours.
Products will remove child-friendly packaging
LIDL
The retailer has committed that any product deemed as least healthy according to WHO or FSA standards cannot be marketed in a way that appeals to children.
Only the healthiest products will be permitted to feature child-focused designs, such as the Oaklands Funsize range of fresh fruit and vegetables, which includes playfully named items like Banana-Llamas and Tawny Tomatowl.
This latest move builds on Lidl’s pioneering 2020 initiative, when it became the first UK supermarket to remove cartoon characters from breakfast cereals.
The policy was expanded in spring 2024 to ban cartoon characters from all less healthy products aimed at children. These changes followed the retailer’s earlier commitment to remove sweets and chocolates from checkouts nationwide in 2014, ahead of its competitors.
The new packaging standards will take effect before the UK government introduces restrictions on advertising less healthy products to children in October 2025.
Chief commercial officer at Lidl GB Richard Bourns 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.”
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The change is to encourage healthier choices
LIDL
Senior business and investor engagement manager at the Food Foundation Rebecca Tob 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.”
The initiative is part of Lidl’s broader commitment to health and sustainability, supported by its Healthy Eating Hub which provides parents with practical tools and nutritious recipes.
The changes align with the retailer’s long-term ambition to meet the EAT Lancet Planetary Health Diet by 2050.
