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Tesco's Sweet Free Counters… Except at Christmas Time

Published Sat, 22 Dec 2018 07:45:20 -0600

Last updated Sat, 22 Dec 2018 07:46:31 -0600

No, this has nothing to do with comics. Though I did find this on the way to seeing Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse at the cinema this morning with my youngest.

Back in 2015, British supermarket Tesco made a commitment to stop stocking sweets and candy at the checkout. In other supermarkets it is pester power central, parents standing in line with their kids grabbing the sweets or pleading for permission. I've been there, both as the child trying to persuade my mother that if she really loved me she'd buy me a Star Bar or a packet of Spangles. And as a parent, being told that the only thing that would make my daughter's life complete is a packet of Toxic Waste (don't ask).

Well, Tesco made a very PR-friendly move to stop that. And not just stop doing that but to virtue signal that they had stopped doing it with signs.

We've replaced fizzy drinks for flavoured water, fried crisps for baked crisps and provided a selection of snacking options such as dried fruit & nuts. Removing confectionery from the checkouts doesn't mean we're limiting range, it simply means we're reducing temptation for our customers and nudging them towards making a healthier choice.

Those signs are still up. Their commitment to what the signs actually say is less visible. Especially at Christmas. Here's Tesco this morning, just across from the cinema in Kingston…