Asda axes cartoon characters from top-selling own-brand lines

By Liz Wells in Industry News 29th January 2021

Asda has extended a scheme to remove cartoon characters from its own brand-products in a bid to reduce ‘pester power’ and help parents make informed choices about their children’s diets.

The supermarket giant removed cartoon characters from 12 of its own-brand cereal boxes last year and has now transformed the packaging on 9 own-brand ice-creams and ice-lollies, 14 own-brand confectionery lines, 4 flavoured milk products.

Asda has also reduced the sugar content from the top-selling lines, including: ice-cream (-16%), breakfast cereals (-15%), and milk-based drinks (-11%).

Beth Fowler, Asda nutritionist, said: “Following the removal of cartoon characters and reducing sugar content of our own-brand cereals early 2020, we have taken the decision to extend the initiative across additional own-label lines such as ice-creams, lollies, confectionery and flavoured milk drinks.

“Being one of the UK’s largest supermarkets, we recognise our responsibility to help our customers to make better choices for themselves and their families. We see the removal of characters from specific product categories as another step on our journey towards making healthier choices easier.’’

The new-look packaging for Asda’s own-brand ice-creams and ice-lollies has rolled out in stores and will be available on confectionery lines by the end of February.