Lidl GB to erase cartoon images on own brand cereal packaging

Lidl stores in the U.K. will no longer have own brand cereal packages sporting cartoon characters.

The retailer said it will remove characters from eight of its cereals by spring 2020, including the Lidl Crownfield Choco Rice, Honey Hoops and Rice Snaps cereals. The move is in response to parents who say the animated characters encourage children to want the cereals that are high in sugar and unhealthy, according to the company. 

The retailer has nearly 800 stores in the U.K., and has been very active opening stores on the East Coast in the United States, including Staten Island, N.Y., Washington D.C., Arlington, Va., Philadelphia and more.

There is no word yet regarding the own brand cereal packages in the U.S. 

Georgina Hall, Lidl’s head of corporate social responsibility was quoted in The Guardian: “We want to help parents across Britain make healthy and informed choices about the food they buy for their children. We know pester power can cause difficult battles on the shop floor and we’re hoping that removing cartoon characters from cereal packaging will alleviate some of the pressure parents are under.” 

Previously, Lidl reduced 20% of the volume of sugar found in its own brand cereals to help improve the health of the products. And also, in response to that "pester power," the company in 2014 made an early vow to remove candy and chocolates from the checkout lanes.