MANUFACTURERS ARE NOTICING CONSUMER INDIFFERENCE TO SWEETENER TYPE.

LET US BREAK IT DOWN.

In May 2014, Mintel conducted an analysis using data from the research agency’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) to further understand the landscape of label claims on food and beverage product introductions in 2013.

Mintel’s team hit the supermarket aisles to better understand new food and beverage product introductions in the U.S. market, paying particular attention to these three areas:

Product introductions with “No HFCS” claims

Product introductions with other health-related claims

Product introductions switching back to formulations with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

What Mintel means when it says “product introduction”:

For marketers making better-for-you claims, touting "No HFCS" is not a priority. In fact "No HFCS" accounts for only 1% of product introduction claims between 2002 and 2013.2

The decrease in “No HFCS” claims is in line with recent data from Mintel and Nielsen, which uncovered these three �ndings:

New product: A new range,line or family of products.

New packaging: A new “look” for a product based on a

visual inspection and when terms like “new packaging”

or “new size” are written on the packaging.

Relaunch: Just like it sounds. This is based on secondary information

(trade shows, company website, press releases or press mentions).

New variety/range extension: An addition to an existing range of products.

New formulation: A product using terms such as “new formula,” “even better” or “tastier” are indicated on packaging.

OUT OF MORE THAN 20,000 PRODUCTS INTRODUCED IN 2013, NO HFCS” CLAIMS ACCOUNT FOR ONLY 2.35%.1

“

GROWTH IN “NO HFCS” PRODUCT CLAIMS IS SLOWING.

PRODUCTS THAT HAD NEW FORMULATIONS SAW THE BIGGEST DECREASE IN “NO HFCS” CLAIMS.

“NO HFCS” CLAIMS ARE NOT IMPORTANT.

MANUFACTURERS ARE FINALLY LISTENING TO CONSUMERS.

2010 2011 2012

2012

2013

2013

New Formulation New Product New Variety/

Range Extension

Relaunch

1.56% 2.09% 2.30% 2.35%

8.14%

2.46% 2.37%1.92% 1.87%

4.62%

3.46%

5.49%

2.35%

1 2 3

Even among companies that used the claim the most in 2013, it was on fewer than 5% of their products.

KOSHER 21.11

NO HFCS 1.06

ADDED CALCIUM 0.79

ALL-NATURAL 11.85

HIGH PROTEIN 1.2

HORMONE-FREE 1.17

CAFFEINE-FREE 1.09

NO ADDITIVES/PRESERVATIVES 11.02

LOW/NO/REDUCED FAT 8.16

ORGANIC 8.05

50%

LOW/NO/REDUCEDALLERGEN 7.26

GLUTEN-FREE 6.38

LOW/NO/REDUCEDTRANS FAT 5.91

LOW/NO/REDUCEDSUGAR 5.05

LOW/NO/REDUCEDCALORIE 4.46

VITAMIN/MINERALFORTIFIED 3.9

LOW/NO/REDUCEDCHOLESTEROL 3.55

WHOLE GRAIN 3.07

LOW/NO/REDUCED SODIUM 2.51

LOW/NO/REDUCED CARB 2.51

GMO-FREE 1.99

HIGH/ADDED FIBER 1.86

LOW/NO/REDUCED LACTOSE 1.24

Say vs. Do Total vs. Type Taste & Price

67% 75%

50% of consumers say they avoid speci�c sweeteners, but purchase data shows they buy them at the same rate as other segments.3

67% of consumers agree moderation is more important

than speci�c sweetener ingredients.4

75% of consumers list taste and price as top reasons to

buy products.5

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR CONSUMERS ARE ACTUALLY DOING. IT CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR MARKETING DECISIONS.

1. 2014 Mintel Consultancy, Global New Products Database2. Ibid3. The Sweetener360 is a custom research study commissioned by the Corn Re�ners Association and completed in part by Nielsen and Mintel Consulting4. Ibid5. Ibid