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This back-to-school season, you may have gotten back into the habit of checking supermarket leaflets to do your shopping. According to the CLCV association and UFC-Que Choisir, these promotions do not necessarily encourage you to make the right food choices. Explanations.
They are less present in mailboxes but still available online or on store displays. Leaflets – or promotional catalogues – are in the sights of the CLCV (Consumption, Housing and Living Environment) association, which studied 10 of them in detail between February and April 2024, from five different brands: Leclerc, Carrefour, Intermarché, Système U and Lidl.
Healthy products are far too rare throughout the pages
At the end of this experiment, the association’s verdict is clear: the pages are mostly filled with products considered junk food. Indeed, out of the 1,349 items in the catalogues, we find cold cuts, sugary drinks, industrial cakes, cheese, sweets, etc.
In total, 41% of the items on sale are classified D or E on the Nutri-Score scale, a colored marker displayed on the packaging, classifying products from A to E according to their nutritional quality. Conversely, “only 3% of promotions target fresh fruits, 5% fresh vegetables and 2% cooked vegetables” denounces the CLCV. From this point of view, there are strong disparities: the Lidl brand prospectus is a good student, with 16% of products displayed for this category.
In order to improve this observation, the CLCV advocates for “at least 50% of NutriScore A and B products” in promotional catalogues and calls on public authorities to “ban promotions on items from Nutri-Score D and E for children“.
UFC – Que Choisir targets confectionery at the checkout
Children are also the small consumers defended by UFC-Que Choisir. The Union denounces another observation made by it after visiting more than 600 large distribution stores in 61 departments. “In 86% of the supermarkets concerned, confectionery has returned to the checkouts”with Tic-Tac candies (present in 70% of stores), Mentos (63%), M & M’s chocolates (44%), Twix chocolate bars (18%) and Snickers (17%).
An omnipresence that contrasts with a contrary commitment validated in 2008 with the Ministry of Health. At the time, major retailers had committed to removing these sweets from near the checkouts, in order to avoid children’s tantrums and compulsive purchases by parents, on the one hand, but also to protect their health.
“While overconsumption of foods that are too rich contributes more than ever to the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and to obesityUFC-Que Choisir denounces the multiple techniques promoting these industrial foods, particularly to children. In view of the inability of volunteering to protect young consumers, the Association urges the public authorities to ban the promotion of the most unbalanced foods and, in the meantime, urges brands to immediately stop this irresponsible marketing” writes the association.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
“Binding” measures demanded by the consumer association
Faced with this observation, UFC-Que Choisir is relying on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Court of Auditors to call for more restrictive measures and:
- “Urges the public authorities to prohibit marketing actions for Nutri-Score D and E food products targeting children at points of sale;
- In the meantime, we call on major retailers to immediately remove confectionery, all brands combined, from checkouts and to redirect their marketing efforts towards foods of good nutritional quality.“.