Lidl Ireland to ban cartoon characters on cereal boxes

A lot of cartoon animals out of a job.

Supermarket Lidl announced on Monday (6 January) that it will stop displaying cartoon characters on its own-brand cereal ranges by the end of Spring 2020. Lidl has said that the decision was taken to offset the effects of "pester power," the process by which children pressure their parents into making purchases. The move is part of a broader strategy to reduce sugar consumption, and reduce added sugar in their own-brand products by 20% by the end of the year. The products affected by Lidl's new policy include: •        Crownfield Honey Nut Flakes •        Crownfield Honey Hoops •        Crownfield Choco Rice •        Crownfield Rice Snaps •        Crownfield Frosted Flakes •        Crownfield Choco Hoops •        Crownfield Choco Shells Ciara Sheehan, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Lidl Ireland, said: "Promoting and providing healthier food options for our customers is something we are passionate about at Lidl Ireland and we are proud to be leading the way in the Irish retail market with our significant commitments. "We want to help parents across Ireland make healthy and informed choices about the food they buy for their children. This latest move underpins our commitment to helping customers lead healthier lives." Cartoon mascots have been a well-established element of cereal culture for decades, including the likes of Tony the Tiger, The Honey Monster and Snap, Crackle and Pop.