The findings from this survey should not come as a surprise to food manufacturers and retailers, as the trend of reducing sugar intake has been gaining momentum for quite some time. Presently, minimizing sugar content in food and beverages is a primary objective for manufacturers, particularly as consumers in the U.S. and beyond increasingly favor healthier products with clean and transparent labeling. The revised Nutrition Facts label, which will be mandatory for products from large manufacturers by January 1, 2020, includes a specific line for added sugars. Consumers have expressed a desire for this information, even if they do not always read it. This demand, combined with manufacturers’ reluctance to display high sugar levels, has prompted various innovations in sugar reduction, such as artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners, and innovative ingredients like calcium citrate and zinc.
Rabobank forecasts a reduction of 5% or more in sugar usage across the global food and beverage industry over a two- to three-year span, which could counterbalance any expected growth in consumption in developing markets. Bloomberg reports that in 2016, global consumer packaged goods (CPG) producers eliminated sugar and salt from around 20% of their products in response to rising consumer interest in healthier options. A survey of 102 CPG companies revealed that 180,000 products were reformulated last year alone, which is double the number from 2015. While some companies proudly promote their efforts to reduce sugar, others, like DanoneWave, have been cutting total sugar and fat in their yogurts without disclosing their methods. The company conveyed to Fortune that advertising reduced sugar and fat could lead consumers to believe the product will taste inferior, potentially harming sales.
Consumers—especially women, millennials, and parents, as highlighted by the DSM survey—also seek transparency. Therefore, it may be prudent to communicate openly about sugar reduction goals in the lead-up to the new nutritional label implementation. This way, when consumers check the label for sugar content, they will not only see the quantity present but also understand how and why the reduction was accomplished. Integrating beneficial ingredients like calcium citrate and zinc in reformulated products can also enhance their appeal, particularly to health-conscious consumers.