By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food
The UK’s biggest Supermarket chain, Tesco has caused outrage across Internet social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, following their decision to remove sugary drinks such as Ribena from their shelves. A number of health campaigners, on the other hand, have welcomed the Tesco’s decision to crack down on sugary drinks.
The decision was made in a bid to combat childhood obesity, and will be put in to place as of September 7th, when children return to school after the summer holiday period. As of September, sugary drinks such as Ribena, Capri-Sun, and Rubicon will be replaced by either no-added-sugar alternatives or with Tesco’s own-label products, of which have been promised to be made healthier. Rather hypocritically, however, fizzy drinks such as Coca Cola will still be available to buy from Tesco.
Speaking to trade magazine The Grocer, the Supermarket’s soft drinks buying manager, David Beardmore, said:
“This is part of our 10-point plan against obesity and we have decided that from September we will only sell no-added-sugar drinks in the kids’ juice category.”
In a statement from Tesco, the Supermarket chain also added:
“From September all the children’s juice drinks we sell will have no added sugar in them because we know it’ll make a positive difference to children’s health.”
Ribena Cordial will still be available, and Sugar free versions will still be available. It’s yet to be announced whether any of the UK’s other Supermarket giants will jump aboard the campaign to crack down on sugary drinks sales.
Obesity is one of the biggest issues faced by the NHS each year, however in a Supermarket where heavily-carbonated soft drinks, cigarettes, alcohol, and hundreds of confectionary products are available, the move does seem a little hypocritical, and has upset many Twitter users.
Do you agree with Tesco’s move to stop stocking sugary drinks? Let us know in the comments box below.