Every Lidl helps in fight against obesity – Noone

Fine Gael Dublin Senator Catherine Noone has today praised the supermarket chain Lidl as showing leadership and putting the health of its customers and their children above profiteering after it announced that it would no longer be selling sweets at checkout counters in its UK supermarkets. Senator Noone has written to Lidl Ireland urging them to do the same in their branches here.

“Lidl, which has over 130 shops in Ireland, has announced that it will no longer be selling sweets and sugary products at checkout counters in its 660 stores across the UK. This will mean that parents, and more importantly their children, will no longer be tempted to buy sugary sweets as they wait at the checkout. I hope that Lidl will consider doing this in Ireland too.

“I would call on other supermarket chains to follow this lead and consider doing the same. Self-regulation could go a long way in this field and, with one in four schoolchildren now classified as overweight or obese, it’s clear that this is a problem that we cannot ignore. Lidl’s move is a small step in the right direction, and I hope other retailers will follow suit.”

ENDS