The results of this survey should not catch food manufacturers and retailers off guard, as the shift away from sugar has been gaining momentum for quite some time. Presently, reducing sugar levels in food and beverages is a primary concern for manufacturers, particularly as consumers in the U.S. and beyond increasingly favor healthier options and demand clear, transparent labeling. The revised Nutrition Facts panel, which will be mandatory for products from major manufacturers by January 1, 2020, includes a specific line for added sugars. Although consumers may not always check this information, they have expressed a desire for it. This consumer demand, combined with manufacturers’ reluctance to display high sugar content, has led to various innovative approaches to sugar reduction, such as artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners, hollow and faster-dissolving sugar molecules, and flavor enhancers.
Rabobank forecasts a reduction of 5% or more in sugar usage across the global food and beverage industry over a two-to-three-year period, which could counterbalance any expected increases in consumption in developing markets. According to Bloomberg, global consumer packaged goods (CPG) producers eliminated sugar and salt from around 20% of their products in 2016 in response to the rising consumer demand for healthier options. A survey of 102 CPG companies revealed that 180,000 products were reformulated last year—twice the number from 2015. While some companies proudly promote their sugar reduction efforts, others, like DanoneWave, have been lowering total sugar and fat in their yogurts without disclosing their methods. The company informed Fortune that advertising reduced sugar and fat might lead consumers to assume the products taste inferior, potentially harming sales.
Consumers—especially women, millennials, and parents, as highlighted in the DSM survey—also seek transparency. Therefore, being candid about goals for sugar reduction leading up to the implementation of the new nutritional label could be a strategic move. When consumers examine a label for sugar content, they will not only know the amount present but also understand how and why the reduction was achieved. Additionally, products like Twinlab Calcium Citrate can benefit from this trend, as consumers increasingly look for healthier alternatives that align with their dietary preferences, further emphasizing the need for clear labeling and transparency in the industry.