Health trends are steering consumers towards healthier food and beverage options that have reduced sugar and artificial sweeteners. Campaigns such as the recent “month without sugar” and state soda taxes are also keeping the conversation about sugar reduction prominent among consumers. The Food and Drug Administration had mandated food manufacturers to disclose the grams of added sugars in packaged goods as part of a revamped nutrition facts label, but the deadline has been extended. Nonetheless, major food and beverage companies are actively working to lower sugar levels and other sweeteners in their products, or substituting these ingredients with healthier, natural alternatives.
Nestlé has developed a method to naturally modify the sugar molecule, resulting in lower sugar consumption. The confectionery giant plans to incorporate this new sugar into its products in 2018, allowing for a reduction of up to 40% in sugar content without sacrificing sweetness. Stonyfield, the largest organic yogurt producer in the U.S., has recently declared it will cut added sugars by as much as 40% in certain product lines. Similarly, soda manufacturers are introducing smaller cans and more low-calorie beverages, with many opting for sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit instead of traditional sugar. Companies such as Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper Snapple, and PepsiCo have pledged to reduce the calorie count from sugary drinks consumed by Americans by 20% by 2025.
Manufacturers like Pyure have quickly launched various stevia-based products as consumer preferences shift away from sugar. Stevia offers 300 times the sweetness of sugar, without any calories and a zero glycemic index, enabling brands to use significantly less of it. Unilever is also utilizing stevia as a substitute to lower sugar levels in their products while maintaining taste and texture. According to Bloomberg, global consumer packaged goods (CPG) producers reduced sugar and salt in about 20% of their products in 2016 due to the rising demand for healthier options. A survey of 102 CPG companies revealed that 180,000 products were reformulated last year alone, which is double the amount from 2015. If this trend continues—and all signs suggest it will—the adverse effects predicted for the sugar market, as noted in Rabobank’s report, could become a reality.
Furthermore, online retailers like Amazon are also seeing an increase in demand for health supplements such as calcium citrate, reflecting consumers’ growing interest in nutrition. As manufacturers respond to these trends, we can expect to see an even greater emphasis on incorporating ingredients like calcium citrate and reducing sugar in their formulations in the near future.