Sugar Free

Sugar and Sweeteners: Labeling and Natural Alternatives

Introduction

Consumers have become increasingly conscious about their sugar intake. This is due to a widespread recognition of the impact that excessive sugar intake has on one’s health. With the stress and worry brought about by modern-day living, comfort eating will be on the rise. While consumers will be seeking moments of escapism from more indulgent foods, they will likely become conscious of their sugar intake. As a result, consumers will be making attempts to moderate their intake of sugar over the next year.

Brands must meet the demand for indulgent products, with better-for-you alternatives. This will enable consumers to seek conveniently nutritious products. It must be noted that these products should not compromise on sensory appeal, as this is a key product attribute among consumers. In addition, brands must make product labeling clear and concise. This will avoid confusion and the perception that such labeling is disguising hidden sugar.

Consumer Attitudes & Purchasing Behaviors

Sugar is recognized as the number one dietary evil among global consumers. Our findings highlight that consumers are aware of the link between excessive sugar intake and increasing rates of obesity and diabetes. For instance, FMCG Gurus’ consumer insights reveal that 76% of global consumers believe sugar is the cause of obesity.

Additionally, consumer attitudes toward sugar have altered in the last couple of years, with 34% of global consumers stating this. The reason for this could be the influence that the pandemic had on consumers' approaches to health. Due to this, many consumers became increasingly attentive to the ingredient listings on the products they consume. A number of consumers are attempting to improve their dietary habits with more streamlined, health-boosting ingredients.

Labeling & High Sugar Content

A significant proportion of consumers are sometimes skeptical of the practices and policies of brands. This can be attributed to the health-washing and greenwashing scandals that have come to light in recent years. FMCG Gurus’ market research reveals that 42% of global consumers say they are concerned and 22% are very concerned about hidden sugars in food and drink. This could be due to widespread confusion around sugar content labeling, with many consumers who deem labeling difficult to understand.

Rising prices are causing consumers to seek products that they deem good value for money. Due to this, brands must keep nutritional labeling simple and transparent. This will enhance both trust and value for such products, and allow the process of checking ingredient lists to be quick and easy.

Natural Sweeteners

On a global scale, 37% of consumers say they deem natural sweeteners to be healthy alternatives to sugar. This figure was almost identical to the figure two years earlier. This highlights the association with natural ingredients being cleaner and better for you.

However, it should be noted that even if people deem natural sweeteners better for you, it is not to say that they will seek out these products. For instance, FMCG Gurus’ consumer insights reveal that only 8% of global consumers seek out products that contain natural sweeteners all of the time, and 20% some of the time. This could be linked with consumer perceptions around natural products being more expensive, and perhaps not having the same sensory appeal as other sweeteners.

These findings indicate that many consumers are unwilling to trade-off between taste and wellness. As a result, brands must ensure that natural sweeteners are positioned as being good value for money, aligning with price sensitivity. Also, it is crucial that the brands place greater emphasis on the sensory appeal of natural sweeteners, and do not overcompensate on health credentials. This is because consumers may feel as though taste is being compromised for health.

This article is based on FMCG Gurus: Sugar & Sweeteners – Country Reports 2023. For more information, please click here.

Exploring Diabetes-Friendly Choices in Food and Drink

Introduction

Living with diabetes requires a diligent approach to food and drink choices. This is because maintaining stable blood sugar levels is paramount to managing the condition effectively. As the consumer demand for healthier and diabetes-friendly products continues to grow, the food and drink industry plays a vital role in providing suitable options that promote well-being while maintaining taste and convenience.

Throughout this blog, we will delve into key areas that are of significant importance when it comes to diabetes management. With a focus on ingredients, free-from, and natural claims, clear nutritional information, and balanced meals and portion sizes, we aim to provide valuable insights into how the food and drink industry can better cater to the needs of individuals living with diabetes.

Lifestyle and Weight Management

Maintaining a well-balanced and nourishing diet is crucial for effectively managing diabetes. It is especially essential to monitor the intake of carbohydrates as they are converted into glucose, impacting blood sugar levels. Individuals with diabetes should prioritize their overall health and well-being by engaging in regular physical activity and adhering to a diet that promotes optimal health. By doing so, they can prevent blood sugar spikes and enhance insulin sensitivity, enabling the body to utilize glucose more efficiently. Embracing a healthy lifestyle empowers individuals with diabetes to improve their overall quality of life, reduce the risk of complications, and attain better control over their blood sugar levels. 

Weight management plays a crucial role in mitigating the chances of type 2 diabetes and effectively managing the condition for individuals who have already been diagnosed. With a health-conscious and proactive approach that was catalyzed during the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained since consumers deem their health and wellness highly important. FMCG Gurus’ consumer insights highlight that 68% of global consumers have actively tried to improve their dietary habits over the last twelve months. This highlights that consumers seem motivated to address and maintain a healthy weight. The approach to improve dietary habits and health is due to health concerns, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and certain types of cancer. This demonstrates that consumers will be seeking food and drink that they deem healthy, possibly with the moderation or avoidance of dietary evils, such as sugar.

Health-Boosting Ingredients

Brands must offer more products that are higher in dietary fiber. This can help slow down the absorption of glucose, and assist those with diabetes in maintaining steady blood sugar levels. FMCG Gurus’ consumer insights reveal that 18% of respondents associate an unhealthy gut microbiome with a high risk of diabetes. As a result, consumers want to see digestive health claims on food and drink products. However, it must be noted that when it comes to the gut microbiome's influence on diabetes, there is still much that remains to be understood. Individuals should consult healthcare professionals before making significant dietary or medical changes based on current knowledge of the gut microbiome.

In addition, brands should look into incorporating healthier fats in food and drink products. Some healthy fats can include those found in nuts, seeds, avocadoes, and olive oil. This demonstrates how brands should look to minimize trans fats and saturated fats in products, as these ingredients are associated with negatively impacting heart health.

Make Nutritional Information Clear and Concise

Also, it is essential that brands provide clear labels on products that display nutritional information, such as carb, sugar, and fiber content. This makes the process of making informed choices in line with diabetes easier for consumers.

Another aspect we will explore is the clear and concise presentation of nutritional information. Diabetic individuals rely heavily on this information to make informed choices about their food and beverage consumption. As a result, brands must accurately convey nutritional content, as well as strategies to provide easily understandable information that caters to the needs of individuals managing diabetes.

Sugar Moderation and Balanced Portions

In the beverage industry, brands should offer a wider variety of low-calorie and sugar-free options. Some examples of this include water, unsweetened tea, and naturally flavored water. If brands offer and promote these alternatives, this will help consumers avoid a high sugar intake and encourage them to stay hydrated with ease.

Designing products that align with well-balanced meals can play a vital role in averting sudden rises in blood sugar levels. Additionally, offering smaller portion sizes can assist individuals with diabetes in effectively controlling their carbohydrate intake and facilitating weight management. This creates the opportunity for brands to create and promote food and drink that satisfy consumer expectations for portion control and overall meal balance.

Research and Education

Brands should support education initiatives. This could include collaborating with healthcare professionals and organizations to communicate accurate information about diabetes-friendly products and dietary choices. This will help consumers with diabetes to make more informed choices when eating out of the home and will allow them to manage their blood sugar levels more easily during these times.

Additionally, it is important that brands consider investing in and supporting research on the development of innovative products that are tailored to the needs of consumers with diabetes.

The article is based on FMCG Gurus: Diabetes: Examining Consumer Perspectives on Health, Diet & Lifestyle – Global Report 2023. For more information, please click here.

Global Confectionery Trends in 2022

Introduction

Confectionery trends have shifted since the pandemic. As a result, it is essential that brands in the confectionery industry are staying up to date with consumer need states in this market. The pandemic brought about a noticeable decline in snacking and greater attention to health-consciousness. This meant that a large portion of consumers monitored and moderated their intake of certain food products during the pandemic. However, this has created a lasting effect among consumers. FMCG Gurus consumer insights reveal that 75% of consumers are drawn to product claims of no GMO’s, followed by no additives, sugar-free, and natural. This indicates that many consumers are prioritizing products deemed as natural and with free-from ingredients which aid health. Interlinked with this are green and clean claims. This is due to consumer interest in products that are not detrimental to the wider environment.

On the other hand, it is important for brands to note that health claims should not be overdone, as indulgence is still favored by consumers. This includes the sensory appeal of traditional and nostalgic flavors for moments of escapism. Further to this, consumers aim to relax and unwind via confectionery products. For instance, FMCG Gurus consumer insights reveal that 66% of consumers purchase confectionery products as a treat or reward. This indicates that consumers associate confectionery products as a form of unwinding from the pressures of everyday life. 

Researching About Products

In terms of the health-conscious approach, the act of researching products before purchasing is common among consumers. For example, our findings demonstrate that one third of consumers who purchase confectionery say that they regularly research confectionery products. 

Not only does this highlight a health conscious approach, it also suggests that consumers are not overly brand loyal and will choose between different products to determine the products that best meet their need states. Moreover, in the process of researching FMCG Gurus findings illustrate that 71% of consumers research into the nutritional information of products. 

Our market research illustrates a noticeable jump between 2020 to 2022 of functional/medicinal confectionery. For example, in 2020, 20% of consumers had said that they had purchased this form of confectionery either for themselves or for a member of their household. This demonstrates that consumers have become increasingly attentive to the nutritional value of food products and ingredients, and are seeking out confectionery products with both sensory appeal and a nutritional boost. In addition, this also reflects the proactive and holistic approach taken by many consumers to maximize their health and wellness through conscious consumption. 

Candies and Gummies

Nevertheless, consumers are continuing to prioritize confectionery as it offers moments of escapism and indulgence. Globally, consumers purchase a variety of confectionery products. This ranges from candies and gummies, to hard boiled sweets, to functional and medicinal confectionery and more. However, the most popular form of confectionery are candies and gummies. FMCG Gurus insights highlight that 76% of consumers have purchased candies and gummies either for themselves or for members in their household within the last twelve months. This highlights that consumers are continuing to seek out confectionery products that will provide them with small indulgences.

Cost of Living

Confectionery brands must note that the current recessionary climate is influencing consumers' shopping habits. FMCG Gurus consumer insights reveal that of consumers who actively research into products, 64% of consumers research the price of confectionery products. This highlights that consumers are looking to reduce their spending on items that they may deem as non-essentials, and are seeking out more cost-effective and value for money confectioneries. This suggests that brands must be promoting perceptions of value around their products, which will enhance the consumer likelihood of purchase, as they will associate these confectionery products with being good quality and good value for money. 

This article is based on FMCG Gurus: Global Confectionery Trends in 2022.