Imagine you're cruising through the supermarket doing your weekly shopping, you’re heading towards the checkout, and then it happens – your mini-me spots the lolly-filled shelves.
And you did promise that chocolate bar for a no-tantrum trip...but you know the extra sugar will cause extra mayhem on the car ride home.
Well, Woolworths NZ might have just solved that problem for you, whether you like it or not.
Following in the footsteps of their Aussie counterparts, the Kiwi supermarkets are making a big change - 80% of the checkout shelves will now be dedicated to items boasting Health Star Ratings (HSR) of 3.5 or higher.
But, the burning question is: will this change prove to be a goody or take things a bit too far?
“We’re certainly not telling anyone what they should be putting in their trolley, but by upping healthier options and moving less healthy choices into aisles, hopefully it makes it that little bit easier,” Deb Sue, Woolworths NZ nutritionist and registered dietitian said.
We all remember the great joy of getting a special treat after trundling around the supermarket for an hour with mum or dad, but does this change mean that'll become a thing of the past?
Deb continued: “Our hope is that removing products targeted at kids at the checkout will be a welcome change for parents and caregivers and means they don’t need to deal with the end-of-shop negotiations from their little ones."
“Even better, with our Free Fruit for Kids bins at the front of every produce section, they can fill our smallest customers up on free fruit at the front of the supermarket, It’s all part of our commitment to making healthier easier for Kiwis,” she added.
So, is it a checkout overhaul or checkout heaven? It's still up for debate, but one thing's for sure - it's one we’ll be keeping an eye on.
