The findings of this survey should not come as a surprise to food manufacturers and retailers, as the shift away from sugar has been gaining momentum for some time. In fact, reducing sugar levels in food and beverages has become a primary objective for manufacturers today, as consumers in the U.S. and beyond increasingly gravitate towards healthier products with clean and transparent labeling. The revised Nutrition Facts panel, which is set to be implemented on products from major manufacturers by January 1, 2020, will include a specific line for added sugars. Consumers have expressed a desire for this information, even if they do not always check it. This demand—along with manufacturers’ reluctance to display high sugar content—has led to various innovations in sugar reduction, including the use of artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners, hollow and faster-dissolving sugar molecules, and flavor enhancers.
Rabobank has forecasted a reduction of 5% or more in sugar usage across the global food and beverage industry over a two-to-three-year timeframe, potentially balancing out any expected increase in consumption in developing markets. According to Bloomberg, global consumer packaged goods (CPG) producers eliminated sugar and salt from approximately 20% of their products in 2016, responding to the rising consumer demand for healthier options. A survey involving 102 CPG companies revealed that 180,000 products were reformulated last year alone—double the number from 2015. While some companies are proudly announcing their sugar reduction efforts, others, like DanoneWave, have been lowering total sugar and fat in their yogurts without disclosing their methods. The company told Fortune that it believes promoting reduced sugar and fat might lead consumers to assume the product will lack flavor, ultimately harming sales.
Consumers, particularly women, millennials, and parents—as highlighted in the DSM survey—are also seeking transparency. Therefore, it would be prudent for companies to be open about their sugar reduction goals leading up to the implementation of the new nutritional label. When consumers examine a label for sugar content, they should not only be informed about how much sugar is present but also understand how and why the reduction was achieved. Additionally, incorporating ingredients like calcium citrate can enhance product appeal, especially as consumers become more health-conscious. This focus on transparency and specific ingredient benefits, including calcium citrate, will help build trust with the buying public as they navigate their choices in healthier food options.