The Beverage Battle: Sugar Reduction in APAC
Across APAC, products with sugar reduction claims rose by 95% from 2016 to 2020.
MINTEL 2021In 2021, Singapore introduced a new mandatory nutrition label system for beverages known as the Nutri-Grade scale.
This complements the simple ‘Healthier Choice’ logo with beverages being graded from A to E based on sugar content and other health factors.
With so much discourse around health and wellness, consumers become wary of how sugar and artificial sweeteners affect their bodies.
Some examples include:
- Indonesia: introduced the Healthier Choice symbol in 2019 for beverages with less than 6% sugar.
- Thailand’s started its sugar tax in 2017 for drinks with more than 6% sugar
- Sweeteners are taxed in the Philippines at $0.12 USD per litre, with limited exemptions.
- Beverage giants in Australia and New Zealand renewed their target to 25% sugar reduction by 2025, up from the initial 20% target set in 2018.
Yet, it is only human nature to repurchase products that taste good – which sugar plays a huge part in. Reducing or replacing sugar, however, is far from a straightforward process.
58% of Thai consumers say that taste matters more than health when choosing desserts and beverages.
MINTEL 2022
Here are some ways Sensient can help you reduce the sugar in your product without compromising taste:
Change Perceptions
with Colour
“We taste first with our eyes” is the philosophy manufacturers should be familiar with when addressing the product in its entirety. The signature bright pink of a rose Bandung drink and neon colours in energy drinks tend to taste sweeter than a dull-coloured beverage, just based on how they look.
Sensient’s Natural Colours help you achieve a rainbow spectrum of stable shades while giving a higher level of assurance to consumers who exclude artificial ingredients from their purchases.
Request a SampleUse Modulation Technologies
to Your Advantage
When reducing sugar, taste modulation is a great way to bring back desirable qualities of its original formulation. SweetEase™ is a natural flavour that enhances the perception of sweetness in your product, even with less sugar! With a versatile range that is cost-effective, clean label, and natural, our experts can recommend the best solution for you.
If there is a development of off-taste due to reduced sugar or the use of artificial sweeteners, Smoothenol can help neutralise your base by reducing or eliminating perceptions of undesirable notes.
Request a SampleLet Flavours
Take Centre Stage
45% of Indonesians look for new flavours to try most of the time.
MINTEL 2022For consumers to accept low sugar varieties more readily, the satisfaction of products have to be rounded off with balanced and noteworthy flavours. Not only should products have novel concepts, taste combinations should also have depth and character for a memorable experience. Sensient’s technical experts are working daily to bring about flavours that suit the market trends of today. Work with us for recommendations on expanding your product line!
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