Shoppers who fill their supermarket trollies with products on special offer are much more likely to be obese, new findings suggest.

According to a new report by Cancer Research UK, People who stack their trollies with special promotions ‘have more than a 50% increased risk of being obese'.

The report is based on a study of over 16,000 households in the UK and it found that people who purchase 40-80% of goods on special offer are more likely to be obese.

The study also found that almost half of all chocolate, savoury snacks, crisps and popcorn were bought while on promotion.

Customers who purchased the most items on special offer bought 25% more food and drink that was high in fat, salt or sugar. This equated to around 11 extra unhealthy items each month compared to people who tended to avoid special offers.

Meanwhile, shoppers who loved a bargain also tended to buy 30% less fruit and almost 25% less vegetables.

The report noted that obesity was almost 30% higher among people from households that purchased the most products on special offer compared to those who purchased the least.

"Promotional items offer people a wealth of tempting yet unhealthy food and drink choices when doing their weekly shop. With cut-price deals on things like chocolate, biscuits, cakes and fizzy drinks, it's no surprise that people who buy more on promotion have a greater likelihood of being obese," commented Prof Linda Bauld of Cancer Research UK.

She added that as young children are often the ones ‘who suffer from the effects of these purchases', restricting these products is essential for their future health.

Earlier this year, Safefood launched the ‘Transform Your Trolley' campaign, in an effort to encourage people to undertake a healthier and more balanced food shop. For more information on this, click here