Nestlé reduces sugar in products by 2.6 billion teaspoons

Nestlé UK and Ireland has cut more than 2.6 billion teaspoons of sugar from its products since 2015.

It claims the cuts have come thanks to an ongoing, intensive programme of reformulation of its products.

The cuts come after Nestlé announced last March that it pledged to cut sugar across its confectionary products by 10% by the end of 2018, already reaching 7.4% as of today.

‘Our work towards these achievements is actually as much about taste as it is about reducing sugar and calories,’ Stefano Agostini, CEO of Nestlé UK & Ireland, said.

‘It is not as simple as just removing sugar from a product, the skill is in making that product taste just as good or, ideally, better.

‘People love our food and drink and our confectionery, cereals, ice creams and other products are enjoyed as part of a balanced, healthy diet by people all across the world.

‘What we can do, through research and development, is improve them in both taste and nutrition over time’

Sugar tax

This latest announcement comes after the launch of wider campaigns by the Government to help reduce sugar and calorie intake.

Earlier this week Public Health England launched its One You campaign to help reduce the number of calories people consume on a daily basis.

Elsewhere it is believed the launch of the sugar tax is causing manufacturers to reduce the amount of sugar in their products and change the way people think about sugar.

‘Every year, more than 40,000 children have decayed teeth removed under general anaesthetic, this is heart-breaking,’ president of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT), Helen Minnery, said.

‘It is clear that food and drink manufacturers who produce sugar-filled products have a responsibility to protect their customers and the prospect of a “sugar tax” has finally resulted in them making the necessary changes to address this responsibly.

‘We hope that it continues and makes real difference to the state of the UK’s oral health.

‘We are optimistic that the actions made by manufactures can result in less people entering dental practices, as well as A&E departments, with shocking levels of sugar-related problems.’

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