shopkeepers have ridiculed government suggestions that certain foods should be put on top shelves and out of the reach of children.

The idea behind the move for “less healthy” foods is that they will be out of sight, out of mind and children will not ask for them.

But the British Retail Consortium has described it as misguided and “ludicrous”.

Director Andrew Opie said it would not work and asked: “How high is a child’s eye-line anyway?

“Parents buy children’s food. The idea that making particular foods hard to reach would make any difference is ridiculous.

“There are no bad foods, only bad diets. This proposal risks demonising foods which can happily be eaten as part of a balanced diet.”

A mini check among parents in Hereford showed that they seemed to agree.

“Every day we hear another food is bad for us and before long everything would be on the top shelf,” said one.

“I’m only five foot nothing and I would be asking my taller children to reach to the top shelves to get what I wanted,” said another.

“My children are eagle-eyed and would spot things on the top shelf anyway. If they wanted it they would shout for it,” was another opinion.

And one mother said her children were capable of shopping and if they struggled to reach something off a top shelf, there could be a catastrophe. “They could bring everything down around them, or even worse, hurt themselves. Where would health and safety be then?” she said.