The Hundred: Snack company ditches logos on children’s cricket shirts

Food brand KP Snacks are the big sponsor for the upcoming The Hundred cricket tournament, but unlike the participating team's kits, their logos won't be seen on children's replica shirts.

The company have agreed not to include their logos on kids jerseys after coming under fire for using the sport to promote snacks, when many experts say children need to eat more healthily and exercise more.

The Hundred is a new, faster form of cricket which aims to attract new audiences to the sport.

It's meant to be easier to follow compared to the traditional game and its hoped that it will also encourage children to be more active.

However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which oversees the sport in England and Wales, has faced criticism from the NHS as its agreed for KP Snacks logos to appear on the kits of all eight of the teams taking part. Hula Hoops, Skips, McCoy's, Butterkist, KP Nuts, popchips, Pom-Bear or Tyrrells will feature on the jerseys.

KP Snacks told us: "We have...chosen not to brand the replica kits for people aged 16 or under as part of our Team partnership with The Hundred. In 2018 we began introducing colour-coded reference intake icons on the front of our packs to help people be more informed about the choices they are making when buying our snacks. Our responsible marketing policy means we only target adults who can make informed choices based on our clear on-pack information."

Despite KP Snacks removing its logos from children's replica shirts, not everyone is satisfied with the decision.

The Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), which works to tackle obesity, has said the move has failed to go far enough as advertising for snacks will still be seen on the shirts of the players involved in the games.

It fears the inclusion of the logos will create a link between healthy activity and unhealthy food choices.

The Hundred sponsor KP Snacks produce a number of crisp brands

Caroline Cerny, alliance lead of the Obesity Health Alliance told The Times: "This inappropriate sponsorship undermines the ECB's aims of engaging children with sport and getting them more active... while the players are still walking adverts for junk food, these unhealthy snacks will remain centre stage in children's minds, including their food choices."

However, the ECB is backing its decision to work with KP Snacks. It says it'll use the competition to promote healthy lifestyles and that healthier food options will be available at matches.