Lidl to remove child-targeted packaging from less healthy foods

Lidl has announced plans to remove child-focused packaging designs from its less healthy own-brand products by mid-2025, reinforcing its commitment to responsible marketing. This initiative extends beyond upcoming UK regulations, which will restrict advertising of less healthy foods to children starting October 2025.

The changes will include the elimination of design elements such as animated characters, bright patterns, and playful product names that could appeal to children but do not reflect the product’s characteristics. For example, Lidl’s gummy bears, currently packaged with colourful, cartoon-themed designs, will adopt a simpler, more product-focused look that highlights their fruit flavours.

This decision builds on Lidl’s history of proactive changes to its packaging. In 2020, the supermarket became the first in the UK to remove cartoon characters from its breakfast cereal packaging, helping parents resist pester power. In 2024, this policy was expanded to cover all less healthy products aimed at children. Earlier initiatives, such as the removal of sweets and chocolates from checkouts in 2014, also demonstrated Lidl’s focus on promoting healthier choices.

Under the new policy, any Lidl product classified as less healthy according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Nutrient Profiling Model or the Food Standards Agency (FSA) 2004/05 Nutrient Profiling Model will no longer feature designs aimed at children. This approach aims to balance engaging packaging for families with an emphasis on encouraging healthier food choices.

Lidl will continue to highlight the quality and natural characteristics of its products through its packaging design. For healthier options targeted at children, Lidl has its Oaklands Funsize range, introduced in 2020, which features fresh fruits and vegetables with quirky names and playful characters, such as “Banana-Llamas” and “Tawny Tomatowl,” designed to make healthy eating more appealing to young consumers.

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.

This latest move signals Lidl’s ongoing commitment to promoting healthier lifestyles while adhering to evolving standards in food marketing.