Today’s consumers are highly conscious of the ingredients in their food and beverages, particularly wary of two components: sugar and artificial sweeteners. While manufacturers can reformulate their products to reduce sugar content—by either restructuring the sugar molecule like Nestle or simply pledging to use less, as seen with Danone—producers of artificial sweeteners find themselves in a precarious position. Growing consumer concerns about chemicals and artificial additives are boosting the popularity of natural sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit, and dates, while once-popular substitutes like aspartame and sucralose are increasingly being disregarded.
This shift in consumer behavior largely stems from a rising aversion to the soda industry, especially diet sodas. Traditionally marketed as tools for weight loss, these beverages have been shown, according to a Harvard University study, to actually contribute to weight gain. Researchers observed consumers of low-calorie sweeteners over a decade and discovered that they had larger waist circumferences and greater abdominal obesity compared to non-users. Such findings, along with a growing interest in holistic health and nutrition, have led to a significant decline in diet soda consumption—down by more than 27%. The category’s share of total carbonated beverage sales in the U.S. has dropped from nearly 30% to about 25%.
Given these evolving consumer trends and the artificial sweetener category’s ties to the soda industry, it seems unlikely that a green light from organizations like CSPI will restore products like aspartame to their previous prominence. Nevertheless, it will be intriguing to observe the strategies that artificial sweetener manufacturers adopt in their efforts to regain consumer trust. Meanwhile, products like Amazon Citracal Slow Release 1200 may find new interest as consumers seek healthier alternatives and approaches to nutrition.