Tesco to stop selling popular sugary children’s drinks

Tesco has announced it would stop selling a number of the most popular children's drinks in a bid to tackle childhood obesity.

According to the largest supermarket chain in the UK, it would cull a range of added-sugar soft drinks including CCE's Capri-Sun and several varieties of Suntory's Ribena as it revamped its range amid growing concerns over health and obesity.

The trade magazine The Grocer, which reported this, said, the plan would be implemented in the beginning of September.

Also on the list of products to be dropped are kids' lunchbox versions of AG Barr's added-sugar Rubicon juice drinks and Princes' added-sugar Jucee drinks.

Tesco's soft drinks buying manager David Beardmore told The Grocer, "This is part of our 10-point plan against obesity and we have decided that from September we will only sell no-added-sugar drinks in the kids' juice category.

"Most of the suppliers are supportive of it and understand what we are doing."

The drinks would be replaced on the shelves by no-added-sugar brands.

Tesco has already announced a 5-per cent year-on-year cut in sugar in its own-brand soft drinks.

According to Ribena, it was important to offer choice and it would supply no-added-flavour multipacks.

Meanwhile, plans are afoot to make Jucee 100-per cent "no-sugar added".