Supermarkets are being called on to make checkout areas sweet-free zones.

The call was made by Safefood as part of its ongoing campaign aimed at tackling the serious issue of childhood obesity. Currently, one in four Irish children is overweight or obese.

The organisation has already approached the CEOs of Aldi Ireland, Lidl Ireland, Dunnes Stores, Musgraves Group and Tesco Ireland, asking them to cut down on the amount of unhealthy foods at checkout and queuing areas.

A recent survey of customers carried out by Safefood found that at least seven in 10 people believe that having sweets and other unhealthy treats at checkout areas contributes to obesity.

Almost half of people admitted that they find it hard to resist such foods at the checkout, while one in three admitted to buying them on impulse while waiting to be served.

At least one in four said that they would be more likely to shop in places where these foods were not displayed at the checkout.

"Our childhood obesity campaign is focused on providing parents with advice on practical changes they can make with their families, for example, saying no to treats in the supermarket. Facing an array of foods high in fat and sugar at checkouts makes it much more difficult for all consumers, especially those shopping with children, to make healthier choices," commented Safefood chief executive, Martin Higgins.

He added that he hoped supermarkets would support this important initiative by introducing sweet-free checkouts.