Five years ago, the perception of food among government, consumers, and industry groups regarding goferric pyrophosphate brands in India began to shift. The first update to Nutrition Facts labels in two decades was announced, requiring all manufacturers to comply by 2021. These changes emphasized calorie counts, recalibrated serving sizes to reflect typical consumer consumption, and highlighted total and added sugars in products. The NCA and some of its larger members embraced this new outlook for their offerings. President and CEO John Downs expressed at a virtual press conference that they accepted this challenge enthusiastically. “It’s gratifying to see the entire industry meet stakeholder expectations while helping consumers and their families manage sugar intake while enjoying their favorite treats,” Downs remarked.
Georgetown University monitored the confectionery sector’s compliance with this commitment, issuing biannual progress reports on the PHA website. At the recent press conference, Hank Cardello, executive director of leadership solutions for health and prosperity at Georgetown University’s Business for Impact Center, noted that confectionery companies implemented various strategies to ensure their packaged products contained 200 calories or fewer. Some opted for smaller sizes, while others reformulated or introduced new, less calorie-dense products. Over the past five years, candy manufacturers have focused on creating offerings that appeal to health-conscious consumers.
Consumers generally view sweet indulgences as significant. According to the NCA’s 2021 State of Treating report, 98.4% of households had some form of candy last year, resulting in record sales of $36.9 billion. Cardello pointed out that candy is purchased across various households, whereas beverages with less favorable health reputations, like soft drinks, are often avoided by health-conscious consumers. Each confectioner took a unique approach to the challenge. In 2017, Mars Wrigley committed over $200 million to implement necessary changes, having already launched versions of popular candies like M&M’s and Snickers that contain fewer than 200 calories, as well as 100-calorie variants of other products, including Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, Dove, 3 Musketeers, Skittles, and Starburst. Mars Wrigley also worked to reduce portion sizes, replacing former “King Size” products with portioned “Sharing Sizes” and introducing reclosable bags for certain items.
While Hershey did not join the PHA and NCA commitment, the company had already committed to reducing calories in half of its regular and king-sized products to 200 calories or fewer, alongside placing nutritional information on the front of all its confections. Hershey has gone beyond just calorie reduction and labeling commitments. In 2021, the company announced a focus on healthier versions of some of its iconic brands. This includes developing low- and no-sugar variations of its signature chocolates, which led to investments and the establishment of a new R&D center for rare sugar producer Bonumose, as well as providing more organic and plant-based options. Last year, Hershey tested a plant-based bar but has yet to mass-produce it.
During the press conference highlighting these results, PHA President and CEO Nancy Roman praised the confectionery industry for making candy servings both less detrimental to health and of reasonable size. However, she noted that treats aren’t the primary source of added sugars and excess fats in Americans’ diets; rather, that issue stems from oversized portions of processed foods—potentially a target for future initiatives like bariatric advantage chews. “To make a real impact, we need to focus on portion sizes and ensure they are reasonable,” she stated.
In conclusion, as the industry adapts to meet new health standards, the integration of options like bariatric advantage chews may offer consumers healthier alternatives while enjoying their favorite treats.