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Monday 16 September 2013

Sweets at supermarket tills are ‘fuelling obesity crisis’

Parents vent frustration at checkout aisles full of junk food in survey to kickstart new campaign.

 
The Government will be urged to revisit proposals to ban unhealthy food from supermarket checkouts after a survey found that more than 90 per cent of shoppers believe the practice contributes to obesity. A campaign called Junk Free Checkouts is being launched today and aims to force supermarkets to stop selling sweets near the tills, which exploits the “pester power” of children who nag their parents to buy the snacks.


The initiative, announced by the British Dietetic Association and the Children’s Food Campaign, comes in the wake of a nationwide survey in which 78 per cent of respondents said they found junk food at checkouts “annoying”. It also found that 83 per cent have been pestered by their children to buy junk food at the checkouts and 75 per cent have given in to their children and bought something because they were pestered.

Nearly 2,000 people took part in the Chuck the Junk Survey, of which the majority were women and two-thirds had children. Health campaigners have long called for supermarkets to stop selling unhealthy snacks near the till, a practice they say is often targeted at children with promotional deals.

More on this story here.

Eddie

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I blame the parents. Surely they know how to say NO. Makes you wonder how many parents let their kids rule.

Irene.

Anonymous said...

75% give in to their children because they are being pestered! All too often you do see this at checkouts. Mums (and dads) who for a quiet life give in and buy.

As televisions super nanny might say, who are the adults in the house, they should not be afraid to say NO sometimes.

When I was growing up sweets were a weekly treat, and I knew the answer would be no if I asked for this treat to be given more often.

Kay

Lowcarb team member said...

Didn't many supermarkets agree at one time to move sweets from near the tills? I thought I had noticed them making their way back recently.

Parents might say no in other circumstances but juggling with food trolleys money and kids can be difficult.

Kath

FredT said...

I was not allowed into the grocery store because I always wanted candies. Parental No can work, but it needs to be applied to access to the store.

Lowcarb team member said...

You do see many parents weaken as they get near the check out, because they know their children's eye's are going to go straight to the sweets, and a "aw please mum/dad" scenario will unfold.

As a child I can relate to what Kay said in her comment. My sister and I knew that on a Saturday morning, we would go out, usually with our father, and be allowed to choose a few 1p sweets, I'm showing my age here. It's funny neither she nor I have grown up with what people term a sweet tooth. Perhaps it was because our sugar intake was more controlled than it is now? Just a thought....

Once again many thanks for the comments and view points shared with us here.

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Sweets were rationed when I was a child many many moons ago.

Ok no ageist jokes please!

Graham

Lowcarb team member said...


Same here Graham but as it happened I had lots of adult relatives who would give me their sweet ration. Strangely enough I wasn't very interested - I have never had a very sweet tooth, it was more of a treat to be allowed to go to the corner shop with my friends and only a penny or two to spend. I suppose it made me feel grown up. Our generation should have had better teeth because of the rationing. I wonder if we did?

Kath

Unknown said...

As they all say "All things in moderation. Moderation in all things".

More about sweets.