Public Health England (PHE) published guidelines last week setting out the approaches that can be taken by the food industry to reduce the amount of sugar in foods.
PHE are challenging the food and drinks industry to reduce the amount of sugar in foods and drinks that contribute most to children’s sugar intake. The aim is to reduce the sugar content by at least 20% by 2020. PHE have released a report that gives guidance on how this reduction can be achieved. They have broken down the guidelines into 9 food categories which are:
- breakfast cereals
- morning goods like croissants
- ice creams, lollies and sorbets
- confectionery (chocolate and sweet)
- sweet spreads, which is sub-categorised into:
- chocolate spread
- peanut butter
- dessert toppings and sauces
- fruit spreads
PHE is encouraging industry to reformulate their products, reduce the portion sizes and calorie content of products and to shift consumer purchasing to healthier alternatives.
For more information on the sugar content of drinks take a look at our sugary drinks infographic and energy drinks infographic.