Instead of sweets fruit at supermarket checkouts

Federal Consumer Minister Ilse Aigner: Instead of sweets prefer fruit at supermarket checkouts

Federal Consumer Minister Ilse Aigner of the CSU pleads in the newspaper „Rheinische Post“ for that, at supermarket cashiers instead of sweets „an appetizing portion of fruit“ to place. She addressed her appeal to retailers.
Support for this proposal give her probably the latest figures: The proportion of German children with obesity and obesity is about 15 to 18 percent of seven to 17-year-olds now alarming high, says SPD social expert Silvia Schmidt.

The FDP as a coalition partner, however, perceives the Minister's appeal as too strong an interference in the self-determination of the retail trade. It refers to the buyer as a mature citizen of self-determination and the corresponding wording in the coalition agreement. For the Greens an appeal does not go far enough. Rather, they call for a labeling of thick foods in traffic light colors and a further expansion of school fruit schemes.

In naturopathy it has long been argued that a labeling requirement of fattening foods, as the Greens demand it is necessary, but not sufficient. Especially with children, it is important to supply the body with the most natural and fresh nutrients possible. For in the first years of life, our organism builds up important functional systems and requires sufficient building material in the form of food. In this case, not only the parents have to ensure that they are offered to the child, but also the food suppliers and providers. (Thorsten Fischer, Naturopath Osteopathy, 29.01.2010)