Tesco Ireland removes sweets and chocolates from all checkouts

While more than 65% of Tesco Ireland checkouts are currently sweet-free, the group plans to extend this to all checkouts by the end of December.

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Tesco Ireland announced plans to remove sweets and chocolates from all checkouts across the country. The change will be fully implemented by the end of the year across all 146 stores in an initiative "to support a healthier Ireland". The group claims to be the "only retailer in Ireland to commit to having all checkouts sweet-free".

Tesco Ireland CEO, Phil J Clarke said customers had made it clear that they wanted confectionery removed from checkouts to help them make healthier choices. He added that the multiple was also "striving to reduce calories in our soft drinks, sandwiches and ready meals by introducing new ranges and changing recipes to reduce their sugar and fat content".

Currently over 65% of Tesco checkouts are sweet-free and the group plans to extend this to all checkouts by the end of December.

Dr Eva Orsmond, a leading expert in obesity, welcomed the announcement, highlighting the fact that over 60% of the Irish population are now overweight, and an estimated 8% of Irish children are obese. "Irish supermarkets have a clear role to play in helping parents and shoppers to make healthier choices for their families so I applaud Tesco for their announcement today," she said.

In a press statement, Tesco said removing sweets and chocolates from checkouts "is part of a much wider ongoing effort" to "help customers live healthier lives". In January 2014, Tesco launched a new Healthy Living range, building on its previous healthy food lines. The retailer said greater amounts of fruit and veg are also being added to Tesco ready meals and soups, with new ranges helping customers control the amount of salt, sugar and fats they eat.

Tesco will be trialling a variety of healthier checkouts before implementing the full change across stores by the end of the year.

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