Lidl sets new standards in advertising children’s products, aligned to WHO criteria

Beginning in August, Lidl launches an international partnership with PAW Patrol in Cyprus and 29 other countries, setting a new standard in advertising children’s products. The campaign will feature the pre-school brand and characters for the first time across selected own-brand products that meet nutritional value criteria based on the World Health Organisation (WHO), together with Lidl’s additional product requirements. As part of Lidl’s ongoing efforts to promote more balanced product choices for families, PAW Patrol branding will appear on selected own-brand food products that meet the defined nutritional criteria, marking the first time that a global children’s franchise will be featured in this capacity. The campaign kicks off timed to the upcoming theatrical release of PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie™ and includes five food products from Lidl’s own-brand as well as fruit and vegetables. Lidl supports informed choices for families According to published research, childhood obesity remains an important public health challenge across Europe with 25 per cent of children in the region defined as overweight.¹ Through this initiative with PAW Patrol, Lidl is applying character licensing to selected products that meet defined nutritional requirements. The goal is to leverage the popularity of these hero pups to inspire parents and children to choose healthier products and encourage them to make more informed purchasing decisions. Campaign based on WHO nutritional criteria, Lidl product requirements The partnership is based on the WHO nutrient profile model for the European region, complemented by Lidl’s additional product requirements relating to ingredients and product formulation which guarantee an even more stringent level of quality. PAW Patrol branding is only permitted for products that meet both sets of criteria and includes five food products from Lidl’s own brands in Cyprus, Chef Select Chicken Nuggets, Chef Select Mini Schnitzels, and Chef Select Chicken Nuggets with Vegetables, as well as five varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables. Stefan Haensel, Head of Quality & Sustainability, Senior Vice President Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG, says: “We know how important our role as a grocery retailer is in families’ daily lives. We understand the challenges involved in preparing healthy meals for children. That’s exactly why we want to make things easier for families. With the PAW Patrol campaign, we’re using fun, playful ways to inspire children to eat healthier and offering products parents can trust. We follow a clear principle: Our own-brand products aimed at children only make it onto the shelves if they meet the strict criteria set by the WHO as well as our own additional Lidl criteria. That’s how we make healthy eating simple.” Massimo Tortora, Head of Trade & Promotion Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG adds: “With PAW Patrol, we at Lidl are using the appeal of one of the world’s most popular children’s franchises and a strong international partner like Paramount to help children and parents alike to make more health conscious food choices. In this way, healthier eating becomes part of the shopping basket in a playful way and a visit to the Lidl store becomes a shared mission for young and old.” Lidl commits to use only children-oriented packaging for own brands meeting criteria For Kids Week during August 2026, the following will be binding at Lidl: own brands of children’s food products will only be introduced if they meet both the WHO nutritional value criteria and the Lidl additional criteria. This regulation builds on an existing policy decision: since 2023, Lidl has no longer placed any advertising aimed at children for own-brand products that do not meet WHO nutritional criteria. Exceptions are limited to clearly defined seasonal occasions (Christmas, Easter, Halloween). Partnership part of Lidl’s CSR ‘Conscious Nutrition’ strategy The partnership is embedded in Lidl’s overarching CSR strategy “Conscious Nutrition”. The guiding framework is the Planetary Health Diet, a scientifically based nutritional model that takes into account both healthy and sustainable nutrition within planetary boundaries. The strategy aims to support consumers in making more informed food choices by offering a range of products aligned with the company’s nutrition objectives. The campaign will run for five weeks starting on August 17, 2026 in Cyprus and will feature the PAW Patrol characters to promote the company’s own-brand food products, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables during that time, with the goal of inspiring parents and children to choose healthier products. More information about the campaign is available here. ¹ WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI): report on the sixth round of data collection, 2022–2024. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2025. About Lidl Headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany, Lidl is part of the Schwarz Group and is among the leading food retailers in Germany and Europe. Lidl currently operates in 32 countries, running approximately 12,900 stores and more than 230 distribution and logistics centres, while employing over 395,000 people. In Cyprus, Lidl has been active since 2010. Today, it employs more than 700 people, with its network consisting of 22 stores and one state-of-the-art logistics centre. About Paramount Products & Experiences Paramount Products & Experiences oversees all licensing, merchandising and location-based experiences for Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (Nasdaq: PSKY), a leading next generation global media and entertainment company. The division brings to life iconic franchises and beloved characters through innovative products and immersive experiences across categories including toys, apparel, publishing, food and beverage, theme parks, hotels, cruises, attractions and live entertainment. Its global portfolio is powered by content from brands such as Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV, Comedy Central, and Paramount+, and fan-favourite franchises like PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Trek and Yellowstone. To explore our range of consumer products and Paramount-branded merchandise, visit: ParamountShop.com. Follow Lidl Cyprus at the following links: corporate.lidl.com.cy https://team.lidl.com.cy/ www.lidlfoodacademy.com.cy/ www.facebook.com/lidlcy www.instagram.com/lidl_cyprus https://www.youtube.com/lidlcyprus www.linkedin.com/company/lidl-cyprus