Tesco has removed sweets and chocolate from all of its checkouts to reduce pester power and help families choose healthier food.
The supermarket removed confectionery from larger stores 20 years ago but recent the changes apply to all stores in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, including around 2,000 smaller Metro and Express outlets.
A spokesman said confectionery would also be removed from areas adjacent to the tills – for example, racks of sweets at children’s eye level next to checkout queues.
This move follows research based on Tesco Club Card data that found families with young children have, on average, the least healthy shopping baskets, while pensioners and older adults are the healthiest shoppers.
An earlier study by the grocer found nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of customers said removing confectionery from checkouts would help them make healthier choices.
Just over two-thirds of parents (67 per cent) said confectionery-free checkouts would help them make healthier choices for their children.
The retailer said it had replaced the confectionery with healthier snacks, including dried fruit, nuts and cereal bars.