Reilly: More shops need to stop selling sweets and chocolates at checkouts

Donkey Oaty · 22-05-2014 04:58PM

Don't think it's been mentioned so far on here or in the media regarding this particular story, but Superquinn had "Sweets-free" checkouts as far back as the 1980s.

Pumpkinseeds · 22-05-2014 05:22PM

We were told 'no' a lot when we were kids. We had our pocket money on a Friday and we could buy what we liked with that. Thursday nights my parents would buy 4 packets of Tayto and 4 small bars of chocolate, we're a family of 4. That was the only junk we got for the week.

There was no question of being pacified in shops with sweets etc and there were never any multipacks of crisps or sweets at home, other than Christmas. Parents need to learn to say no to their kids, if they can't discipline a child enough to not have a tantrum every time they're told no, then they really need some parenting lessons.

Muise... · 22-05-2014 05:34PM

DamagedTrax wrote: »

so sweeping the problem under the carpet (or down the back of the shop) is the answer?

parents need to say no. i'd rather listen to a screaming kid not getting their own way then look at an obese child stuffing his/her face with chocolate and sweets.

long term thinking is needed, not short term placation.

Really? You can avert your eyes from an obese child if it offends you, but you can't avert your ears from a toddler having a tantrum and slowing down the progress of its stressed parent going through the check-out with the poor cashiers ears ringing for the nth time that day.

YFlyer · 22-05-2014 05:36PM

DamagedTrax wrote: »

when we were younger, dad brought us a packet of sweets or chocolate on a friday evening after work. on a sunday we probably got a sweet dessert. we all grew up healthy and fit and we'd rather eat savoury than sweet.

You lucky B*stard

Our mother divided a Mars bar between 3 of us.

quickbeam · 22-05-2014 05:37PM

Never mind the kids. I appreciate having the temptation taken away from myself.

Tiddlypeeps · 22-05-2014 05:41PM

I don't like nanny state legislation over this type of thing, but this wasn't legislated for so I have no idea why the state is being blamed for it. The minister was just commending Tesco on their decision. Unless I've totally missed something this was a decision made by Tesco because it is what a large portion of their customers want. Parents having an easier time at the tills means they are more likely to shop their in future. I see no problem with this.

The fatty food tax is a different topic and is entirely unrelated. I am totally against it and hope it never happens, but it has nothing to do with the OP.

DamagedTrax · 22-05-2014 06:46PM

Muise... wrote: »

Really? You can avert your eyes from an obese child if it offends you, but you can't avert your ears from a toddler having a tantrum and slowing down the progress of its stressed parent going through the check-out with the poor cashiers ears ringing for the nth time that day.

well you really missed the deeper message in that post, didnt you :P

my point is that a screaming child is better than a fat obese one. eventually the screaming child will learn, keep feeding the fatty and they only get fatter. if a screaming child offends your ears then id advise never having kids, its part of the territory. obesity on the other hand, should not be.

and yes, ive been there with my own kid and told him "no", because of that little word i dont have a kid that acts like a junkie with sugar and can fit into the right size clothes for his height/build.

Temptamperu · 22-05-2014 06:48PM

Daith wrote: »

Why not educate children in schools and turn PE into Health Science and PE?

I'm going to grab a snickers from a vending machine in work. Should offices remove vending machines too as I can't decide for myself anymore.

Every second year student gets nutritional education in science or home ec. Its been this way since i was in school.

Greenmachine · 22-05-2014 06:53PM

Temptamperu wrote: »

Every second year student gets nutritional education in science or home ec. Its been this way since i was in school.

No nutrition info in science when I was in school.

Muise... · 22-05-2014 07:03PM

DamagedTrax wrote: »

well you really missed the deeper message in that post, didnt you :P

my point is that a screaming child is better than a fat obese one. eventually the screaming child will learn, keep feeding the fatty and they only get fatter. if a screaming child offends your ears then id advise never having kids, its part of the territory. obesity on the other hand, should not be.

and yes, ive been there with my own kid and told him "no", because of that little word i dont have a kid that acts like a junkie with sugar and can fit into the right size clothes for his height/build.

I don't disagree with parents keeping their children on a healthy diet - of course not. And I've taken care of the not having kids bit.

But while your children have gotten the hang of not getting their way at the till, others haven't and there will always be a fresh supply of impressionable kids to fall for the placement of sweets at the till. Obesity is another issue entirely to harassed parents, cashiers and shoppers.

DamagedTrax · 22-05-2014 07:07PM

Muise... wrote: »

I don't disagree with parents keeping their children on a healthy diet - of course not. And I've taken care of the not having kids bit. But while your children have gotten the hang of not getting their way at the till, others haven't and there will always be a fresh supply of impressionable kids to fall for the placement of sweets at the till. Obesity is another issue entirely to harassed parents, cashiers and shoppers.

but if the parents decide to go to the newsagent instead of tesco/eurospar/wherever they're gonna face the same problem anyway.

i just think its a move to placate rather than a push to educate.

that rhymed

catallus · 22-05-2014 07:07PM

kneemos wrote: »

Who can afford to buy them anyway?Have you seen the price of a poxy chocolate bar lately.

Its bloody outrageous! Exploitation and price-gouging.

The bastards.

Thank you very much, Enda Kenny, his government allow this scandalous situation, and all I want is a focking bourneville and not to be robbed blind. To the streets!

DamagedTrax · 22-05-2014 07:09PM

catallus wrote: »

all I want is a focking bourneville

said nobody, ever.

CarrickMcJoe · 22-05-2014 07:16PM

super_furry wrote: »

How long has it been since we've had a Minister of Health that at least looks healthy?

Mary Harney

super_furry · 22-05-2014 07:18PM

I said healthy, not devastatingly sexy.

CarrickMcJoe · 22-05-2014 07:20PM

super_furry wrote: »

I said healthy, not devastatingly sexy.

:D:D:D

Phoebas · 22-05-2014 07:28PM

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

**** off state nannyism!!!

When did Tesco take on the running of the state?

Muise... · 22-05-2014 07:34PM

DamagedTrax wrote: »

but if the parents decide to go to the newsagent instead of tesco/eurospar/wherever they're gonna face the same problem anyway.

i just think its a move to placate rather than a push to educate.

that rhymed

If it rhymes, it must be true!

the groutch · 22-05-2014 10:23PM

So more of the usual then
Poor parenting and the parents blaming the shops rather than themselves
Shop caves to pressure, everyone else suffers.

imme · 22-05-2014 10:26PM

This is just common sense. Simple as.

Your nanny statism op would be to ban soft drinks, multi pack mega pack crisps, sugary deserts, chocolate, heavily salted cinema popcorn buckets, fast food.

Satriale · 22-05-2014 10:29PM

Do Tesco even sell sweets at the checkout? neither of the two within ten miles of me do.

Shakespeare's Sister · 22-05-2014 10:30PM

Silly thing to get annoyed by, in my opinion.
It's just a practical decision by a commercial enterprise (unless Tesco is in government? :eek:) - move sweet racks to a less prominent part of the supermarket, reducing reminders to kids; it's not getting rid of sweets and nobody's being "taxed".
Responsibility is not being abdicated either - there will still be sweets, and kids will still be looking for them... so parents will still have to say no.
"Nanny state" is one of those phrases that gets used incorrectly quite a bit.

When I was a kid in the 80s/early 90s there were just as much sweets at checkouts and parents often found it just as difficult not to cave in. One place - Superquinn I think - got rid of sweets at the checkouts back then. It's not a new thing.

shruikan2553 · 22-05-2014 10:39PM

Theres always shopping online if youre too lazy to teach your kids to behave in public. I dont think there are sweets at the checkout of the tesco near me, although I use the self checkout anyway

Shakespeare's Sister · 22-05-2014 10:42PM

My mother was well able to discipline us when we were kids, including a slap on the arse or hand or leg as a last resort... yet we'd still sometimes act up in public. Kids can be little nuisances at times of their own accord, with good parents or bad parents.

Cookie_Monster · 22-05-2014 10:45PM

what are they going to put there instead?
Hopefully knives, lighters and nudy mags. We can collate it with the decline of society then and blame all our problems on parents who won't just say no.

keith16 · 22-05-2014 10:49PM

I actually think this is a good thing.

Super value are terrible for it, the self service queue is lined with sweets.

It's all well and good having discipline and saying no, but fuck me if queuing with the little man isn't a bloody ordeal as we inch our way forward surrounded by sweets waiting for about 5 mongs to pay and take their shit as they stare blankly at the screen.

Cynical by the supermarkets IMO.

Taco Corp · 22-05-2014 11:13PM

Next they'll tax water cos everyone who drinks water dies

Sparklygirl · 22-05-2014 11:37PM

I always say no when the kids ask for sweets at the check out but I really would prefer the sweets were not there in the first place. They even have them in ALDI and my little man is sitting in the trolley and able to access them while I am unloading.

Lando Griffin · 22-05-2014 11:42PM

Sparklygirl wrote: »

I always say no when the kids ask for sweets at the check out but I really would prefer the sweets were not there in the first place. They even have them in ALDI and my little man is sitting in the trolley and able to access them while I am unloading.

Highly unadviseable to leave a child in the trolly like that.
One shunt or a moment of inbalance could mean him toppling out upon the floor.

Renegade Mechanic · 22-05-2014 11:43PM

Why the hell cant people just practice restraint:(

Reilly: More shops need to stop selling sweets and chocolates at checkouts

Comments