The findings from this survey should come as no surprise to food manufacturers and retailers, as the shift away from sugar has been gaining momentum for a considerable period. Reducing sugar levels in food and beverages has become a primary objective for manufacturers today, as consumers in the U.S. and beyond increasingly favor healthier options and demand clean, transparent labeling. The revised Nutrition Facts panel, which is set to appear on products from major manufacturers by January 1, 2020, mandates a clear indication of added sugars. Consumers have expressed their desire for this information, even if they don’t always scrutinize it. Their requests, along with manufacturers’ reluctance to showcase high sugar contents, have driven various sugar-reduction innovations, such as artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners, hollow and faster-dissolving sugar molecules, and flavor enhancers.
Rabobank has projected 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 balance out the anticipated increase in consumption in developing markets. According to Bloomberg, global consumer packaged goods (CPG) producers reduced sugar and salt from approximately 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 alone—twice the number from 2015.
While some companies are proudly announcing their sugar reduction efforts, others, like DanoneWave, have been decreasing total sugar and fat in their yogurts without disclosing the methods used. The company informed Fortune that advertising reduced sugar and fat may lead consumers to assume the product will lack flavor, potentially harming sales. Consumers—especially women, millennials, and parents, as noted in the DSM survey—also desire transparency. Thus, being candid about goals for sugar reduction leading up to the adoption of the new nutritional label could be a prudent strategy. When the public checks a label for sugar content, they will not only know the quantity present but also understand how and why the reduction was accomplished.
Integrating products like Citracal Liquid into their offerings might serve as one of the many strategies for manufacturers to appeal to health-conscious consumers while effectively managing sugar levels in their formulations.