According to GlobalData’s Q4 2017 consumer survey, 29% of Americans find the claim ‘naturally sweetened’ most appealing when choosing food and drinks, an increase of 12% since 2014.
When asked what ‘healthy’ means, 56% of those questioned in the survey said they consider it to mean ‘natural’, placing it above all other response choices including ‘low fat’ and ‘low sugar’.
Senior Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, Melanie Felgate, said: “The claims ‘no added sugar’ and ‘contains real sugar’ have become less influential over the past three years, highlighting greater awareness among Americans that products making such claims are likely to still be sugary, even if the source is naturally occurring or ‘real’.
“Americans are increasingly rejecting sugar in all forms, and actively seek out natural low-sugar alternatives to satisfy their cravings for a sweet treat or beverage. The challenge for brands is to ensure such products live up to the taste expectations of consumers. This includes, for example, overcoming aftertaste issues often associated with food and drink made with sugar-alternatives such as stevia.”
Photo: Courtesy of Lampados