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The war on sugar will intensify because of COVID-19
Consumers continue to demonstrate concerns about excessive sugar intake
The war on sugar will intensify because of COVID-19
Sugar has long been the number one dietary evil amongst consumers because of the association with rising levels of obesity and diabetes across the globe . Moreover, there has been a high level of scrutiny towards the level of sugar in soft drinks over the last decade, especially in product categories such as carbonates and energy drinks because products are associated with offering no nutritional value whilst being high in 'bad' ingredients . This is something that appears to have resonated with consumers . FMCG Gurus research shows that at any one time, around four in ten consumers are trying to lose weight . When it comes to strategies taken to address excessive waistlines, sugar reduction is one of the most popular strategies adopted alongside increasing intake of fruit and vegetables and reducing snacking . This shows how consumers have a negative attitude towards sugar .
Proportion of consumers who are currently trying to lose weight Proportion of consumers who are currently trying to lose weight
Global: 39% Africa/ME: 35% Asia-Pacific: Europe: 37%44% Proportion of consumers who are currently trying to lose weight North America: 45% South America: 42%
Global: Africa/ME: Proportion of consumers who are looking to lose weight by reducing sugar intake Europe:Asia-Pacific: North America: South America: 39% 35% Consumers who are trying to lose weight 37%44% 45% 42%
Global: 52% Africa/ME: 61% Europe: 51% Asia-Pacific: 51% North America: 50%Consumers who are trying to lose weight Proportion of consumers who are looking to lose weight by reducing sugar intake Consumers who are trying to lose weight South America: 36%
Global: 52%
Global: 57% Africa/ME: 61% Africa/ME: 66% Proportion of consumers who actively trying to improve their diet Europe:Asia-Pacific: 51% 51%
Asia-Pacific: Europe: 55%56% Proportion of consumers who actively trying to improve their diet North America: 50%
North America: 52% South America: 36%
South America: 58%
Source: Country Profile survey Q1 2019/Q1 2020 Global: Proportion of consumers who say that they make conscious attempts to avoid added sugars in products Europe:Asia-Pacific: North America:Africa/ME: South America: 57% 66% 56% 55% 52% 58% Concern about excessive sugar intake is something that will intensify in importance in 2020 and beyond Global: Africa: Asia-Pacific: Europe: North America: South America: because of COVID-19 .51% The pandemic is something that has created high levels of uncertainty amongst 52%49% 48%60%58% Proportion of consumers who say that they make conscious attempts to avoid added sugars in products consumers and created significant disruption to daily lives. In turn, this is something that has had a significant impact on mental wellbeing, as consumers worry about a variety of issues such as the health Proportion of consumers who say a product is healthy if it carries a zero sugar claimGlobal: 51% Europe: 52% Asia-Pacific: 49% South America: 48% North America: 60% Africa: 58% and wellbeing of themselves and loved ones, and the state of the economy and the ability to deal with Global: Europe:Asia-Pacific: South America:North America:Africa/ME: daily living costs . 47% All of this has led to consumers seeking out comfort food and drink for moments of 45%46% 56%48%40% Proportion of consumers who say a product is healthy if it carries a zero sugar claim escapism, something which has led to consumers increasing their sugar intake as when it comes to such Global: Africa/ME: Asia-Pacific: Europe: North America: South America: occasions, they tend to be less attentive to nutritional intake 47% 46%40% . 45% 48% 56%
Now the pandemic has peaked but many fear a second wave, they are re-evaluating their eating and drinking habits closely in order to maximize their health and wellness and minimize their vulnerability to disease and illness; something that will increase their monitoring of sugar intake, at least in theory .
Over the period April-July 2020, FMCG Gurus conducted three waves of surveys across eighteen countries to understand attitudes and behaviors towards COVID-19 . The research found that over the period, there was a significant increase in the proportion of consumers who said that they were concerned about their waistlines, whilst a growing proportion of consumers also say that they plan to eat and drink healthier .
ProportionProportion of consumers who say that they have become more conscious about their weight as a result of COVID-19 Proportion of consumers who say that they have become more conscious about their weight as a result of COVID-19Proportion of consumers who say that they will make attempts to stay healthier in the future as a result of COVID-19 ey have become more conscious about their sult of COVID-19 Proportion of consumers who say that they will make attempts to stay healthier in the future as a result of COVID-19 hey have become more conscious about their result of COVID-19 of consumers who fu say that ture as a they resu w lt
48%48%
36% 36%36% 36% 39%39% 31%31%
26%26% 24%24% 33%33%
21%21%
10%10% AprilAprilApril MayMayMay JulyJulyJuly
93% 94%93% 94% 77% 83% 84% 77% 83% 84% 42% 50% 77% 82% 85% 77% 82% 85% 82% 86% 88% 82% 86% 88% 73% 78% 79% 73% 78% 79% 48% 75% 82% 84% 75% 82% 84% 81%81% 32% 37% 31% 36% 36% 39% 33% 21% 18% 23% 26% 24% 21% 14% 10% 83% 84%
77% 77% 82% 85% 82% 86% 88%
North AmericaSouth AmericaNorth AmericaSouth America GlobalGlobalGlobal Africa/Middle Africa/MiddleAfrica/Middle Asia-Pacific Asia-PacificAsia-Pacific
EastEastEast EuropeEuropeEurope North AmericaSouth AmericaNorth AmericaSouth AmericaNorth AmericaSouth America Global Africa/Middle East Asia-Pacific
Proportion of consumers who say that they will make attempts to stay healthier in the future as a result of COVID-19Proportion of consumers who say that they will make attempts to stay healthier in the future as a result of COVID-19 hey have become more conscious about their esult of COVID-19 Proportion of consumers who say that they will make attempts to stay healthier in the future as a result of COVID-19 ey have become more conscious about their sult of COVID-19 Proportion of consumers who say that they will make attempts to stay healthier in the future as a result of COVID-19 hey have become more conscious about their result of COVID-19
48%48%48%
36% 36%36% 36%36% 36% 39%39%39% 31%31%31%
26%26%26% 24%24%24% 33%33%33%
21%21%21%
10%10%10% AprilAprilApril MayMayMay JulyJulyJuly
93% 94%93% 94%93% 94% 77% 83% 84% 77% 83% 84% 77% 83% 84% 77% 82% 85% 77% 82% 85% 77% 82% 85% 82% 86% 88% 82% 86% 88% 82% 86% 88% 73% 78% 79% 73% 78% 79% 73% 78% 79% 75% 82% 84% 75% 82% 84% 75% 82% 84% 81%81%81%
North AmericaSouth AmericaNorth AmericaSouth AmericaNorth AmericaSouth America GlobalGlobalGlobal Africa/Middle Africa/MiddleAfrica/Middle Asia-Pacific Asia-PacificAsia-Pacific
EastEastEast Europe EuropeEurope North AmericaSouth AmericaNorth AmericaSouth AmericaNorth AmericaSouth America
Source: COVID-19 survey, 2020
When it comes to plans to eat and drink healthier, the most popular answer given was to eat more fruit and vegetables . This shows how consumers are looking to turn to products that they believe contain real and authentic ingredients, that offer nutritional value and are free from artificial ingredients. This is something that could be problematic for the beverage industry, especially as some categories already had negative images . After this, the second most popular action planned by consumers is to reduce sugar intake . Given that consumers are more conscious about their health as they fear a second wave of the virus is inevitable, it implies that more consumers will take a proactive approach to looking to reduce sugar intake over the near future .
Proportion of consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthy as a result of COVID-19 (April – July, aggregated) Proportion of consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthy as a result of COVID-19 (April – July, aggregated)
Global: 79%
Proportion of consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthy as a result of COVID-19
Africa/ME: Asia-Pacific:(April – Europe:July, aggregated) North America: 80% 81% 76% 77% South America: 82%
Global: Africa/ME: Asia-Pacific: Europe: North America: South America: 79% Proportion of consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthy by reducing sugar intake 76%81% 77%80% 82%
(April – July, aggregated) Consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthily Proportion of consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthy by reducing sugar intake (April – July, aggregated) Proportion of consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthy by reducing sugar intake (April – July, aggregated)
Global: Europe:Asia-Pacific: North America:Africa/ME:Consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthily Consumers who plan to eat and drink more healthily South America: 56% 54% 55% 54% 60% 57%
Global: 56% Africa/ME: 54% Asia-Pacific: 55% Europe: 54% North America: 60% South America: 57%
Source: COVID-19 survey, 2020
Whilst this chapter so far has focused on weight loss, it must be remembered that concerns towards excessive sugar intake are not limited to those consumers who are actively trying to lose weight . Indeed, over the last couple of years, consumers have increasingly embraced two concepts: holistic health and healthy ageing .
• Holistic health relates to consumers recognizing that all aspects of health are interlinked and impact on each other, and as such should not be treated in isolation . This is true for both physical and mental health . As a result of this, consumers have adopted a broader approach to what constitutes a healthy diet, with focus no longer on moderation and avoidance of ingredients deemed detrimental to health .
Instead, consumers associate a healthy diet with one that helps address a variety of health issues and is high in an array of functional ingredients . This proactive approach to health also means that plans to improve dietary habits are not just restricted to those trying to lose weight . This means that a considerable proportion of consumers who deem themselves to be fit and active are also trying to reduce their intake of sugar .
• Healthy ageing relates to consumers trying to stay fit and active until as late in life as possible. There are two key reasons why consumers are looking to do this . Firstly, they want to maintain a forever young ethos and are actively looking to break stereotypes associated with senior consumers and ageing, realizing that good health is central to this . Secondly, consumers also recognize that disrupted life-cycle patterns and reduced levels of financial security also mean working till later in life is a real possibility. At the same time, consumers can be concerned that current diets are something that may increase the risk of health problems later in life . As such, consumers are adopting a prevention over cure approach to health and ageing, again looking to make improvements to their diets even if they are not suffering from health problems .
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Proportion of consumers who are currently trying to lose weight
Global: Africa/ME: Europe:Asia-Pacific: Proportion of consumers who are currently trying to lose weight North America: South America: In both instances, consumers will place a strong emphasis on looking to avoid sugar . 39% 37%44% 45%35% As the research shows 42%
below, the volume of consumers currently trying to improve their diets is higher than those trying to lose Global: Europe:Asia-Pacific: South America:North America:Africa/ME: Proportion of consumers who are currently trying to lose weight weight, and this is a key reason why half of all consumers say that they make conscious attempts to avoid Proportion of consumers who are looking to lose weight by reducing sugar intake Consumers who are trying to lose weight 39% 37%44% 42%45%35% added sugars or that zero sugar claims make a product healthy . Global: 52% Europe: 51% Asia-Pacific: 51% North America: 50% Africa/ME: 61% Proportion of consumers who are looking to lose weight by reducing sugar intake Consumers who are trying to lose weight Global: 39% Europe: 37% Asia-Pacific: 44% North America: 45% Africa/ME: 35% South America: 36% South America: 42%
Global: 52% Proportion of consumers who are actively trying to improve thei Proportion of consumers who actively trying to improve their diet Europe: 51% Asia-Pacific: 51% North America: 50% Africa/ME: 61% Proportion of consumers who are looking to lose weight by reducing sugar intake Consumers who are trying to lose weight r diet South America: 36%
Global: Global: 52% 57%
Global: 57%
Global: Global: 57% 51%
Global: 51% Africa/ME: Africa/ME: 61% 66% Europe:Asia-Pacific: Proportion of consumers who actively trying to improve their diet Europe: 51% Asia-Pacific: 51% 56% 55% North America: North America: 50% 52%
Africa/ME: Europe:Asia-Pacific: Proportion of consumers who actively trying to improve their diet North America: Proportion of consumers who say that they make conscious attempts to avoid added sugars in products 55%56% 52%66% Proportion of consumers who say that they make conscious attempts to avoid added sugars in products Europe:Asia-Pacific: North America:Africa: Proportion of consumers who say that they make conscious attempts to avoid added sugars in products Europe: 55% Asia-Pacific: 56% North America: 52% Africa/ME: 66% 58% 49% 52% 60%
Proportion of consumers who say a product is healthy if it carries a zero sugar claim Europe: 52% Asia-Pacific: 49% North America: 60% Africa: 58% Proportion of consumers who say that they make conscious attempts to avoid added sugars in products South America: South America: 36% 58%
South America: 58%
South America: South America: 58% 48%
South America: 48%
Global: 47% Global: 51% Europe: 45% Asia-Pacific: 46% North America: 48% Africa/ME: 40% Proportion of consumers who say a product is healthy if it carries a zero sugar claim Europe: 52% Asia-Pacific: 49% North America: 60% Africa: 58% South America: 56% South America: 48% Global: Europe:Asia-Pacific: South America:North America:Africa/ME: Proportion of consumers who say a product is healthy if it carries a zero sugar claimProportion of consumers who say a product is healthy if it carries a zero sugar claim 47% 40% 46% 45% 48% 56%
Global: 47% Africa/ME: 40% Asia-Pacific: 46% Europe: 45% North America: 48% South America: 56%
Source: Country Profile survey Q1 2019/Q1 2020
