Sugary cereals and yoghurts should take away child-friendly packaging – well being group
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reakfast cereals and yoghurts containing excessive quantities of sugar ought to take away any packaging that appeals to kids, a well being group has stated.
Action on Sugar referred to as for the removing of such packaging on merchandise graded as excessive or medium for sugars, salt or saturated fats, primarily based on the Department for Health’s vitamin pointers.
Research by the group, primarily based at Queen Mary University of London, in contrast cereals and yoghurts provided by completely different corporations within the UK.
It discovered 47% of cereals and 65% of yogurts contained a 3rd of the utmost sugar suggestion for a 4 to six-year-old per 100g.
Of these, merchandise by grocery store chains Lidl and Aldi and worldwide model Nestle had the best common sugar ranges with packaging focused at kids.
The packaging contains cartoon characters, animations, vibrant colors and acquainted characters deliberately designed to draw the eye of a kid.
By distinction, more healthy merchandise are usually offered in additional plain packaging focused in direction of adults.
Only 9 cereals and 6 yogurts within the analysis had been discovered low in sugars.
Lidl introduced in 2020 that it will take away cartoon characters from all its own-brand cereal packaging in Britain.
Breakfast cereals and yoghurts noticed important reductions in sugar ranges between 2015 and 2020, at 14.9% and 13.5% respectively.
But the Sugar Reduction Programme introduced within the Government’s weight problems plan in 2016 set a goal of 20% in that timeframe.
Dr Kawther Hashem, marketing campaign lead at Action on Sugar, stated: “It’s ludicrous that whilst breakfast cereals and yogurts celebrate the largest reductions in sugars during the Sugar Reduction Programme, those same products with child-appealing packaging still have excessive amounts of sugars, unsuitable for regular intake by children.
“Given the soaring numbers of under-18s suffering weight-related health problems and tooth decay being the leading cause of child hospitalisation, now is the time for companies to be forced to remove child-appealing packaging from products that are misleading parents and making our children unhealthy and sick.”
A spokesperson for Nestle stated: “We are committed to developing food and drink products that are tasty, nutritious and more sustainable. We offer a broad portfolio of cereals and yoghurts to meet consumer demand and ensure there is an option to suit everybody.
“Since 2003, Nestle Cereals embarked on a significant and consistent work of reformulation meaning 84% of the portfolio is now classed as not high in fat, salt and sugar (non-HFSS) according to the UK Government’s nutrient profiling model.
“That is 18 products within our cereal portfolio in the UK that are non-HFSS and contain no red traffic lights. Our yoghurt portfolio has also made significant steps in reformulation and has seen a reduction of 20 per cent of sugar across our products.”
Aldi stated it was “committed to reducing sugar in key areas that lead to children’s sugar intake as part of its work to tackle obesity among children”.
The firm added that defining packaging with vibrant colors as interesting to kids was “misleading” and had led to “skewed results”.