Tesco and Disney join forces to launch healthy snacks for kids

Supermarket giant Tesco is partnering with Disney to launch a range of co-branded “healthy” snacks aimed at children. The products, which include fruit items, breakfast cereals, yoghurts and milk, will feature Disney and Pixar characters.

The first products will be for sale in the supermarket next month, with the range increasing next year. It has been developed with nutritional advice and will include food that will meet specific guidelines on calories, fat, sugar and sodium.

The range will have not contain artificial flavours, colours or added trans fats. The two companies will continue to develop new products in the next 12 months.

The move follows the anti-obesity drive announced by the government in recent weeks and more stringent advertising guidelines outlined by media regulator Ofcom in November last year. Third-party cartoon characters can no longer be used to advertise foods high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) although brand-developed characters such as the Honey Monster escape censure.

Disney first launched a range of branded healthy snacks to tackle growing public concern over childhood obesity in 2005 (MW October 6, 2005).

A range of dried fruit snacks, under the banner Disney Juicy, has been produced under licence by Whitworths Foods. Disney Consumer Products’ food, health and beauty division has been working with nutritionists on the range, which was initially sold through Asda and Sainsbury’s.

However, this is thought to be its first range co-branded with a supermarket.