Sugar substitutes—trends and consumer preferences

Image credit: Getty Image by Luis Echeverri Urrea

The picture above shows a variety of sugars from honey, stevia plant, bee pollen, white sugar cubes, white, and brown sugar. This reminds me of my time working at a sugar factory; the ingredient is versatile in different products. For example, pre-gelatinized white sugars were used to create decons for cakes. Also, the factory produced natural colors, edible films, and rose decorations for baked products.

Let’s delve into the trends and consumer preferences related to sugar substitutes in the food manufacturing market:

1. Plant-based sugar substitutes: the research shows consumer awareness with different natural sugar substitutes, and there is a substantial growth in the market. The increase in these sugar alternatives is due to health advantages, including prevention of non-communicable diseases, digestive problems, and obesity. These plant-based sweeteners are gaining popularity in various foods and beverages, such as gums, frozen desserts, gelatins, candy, baked goods, breakfast cereals, pudding, and yogurt.

2. Low-Calorie Sweeteners (LCSs): LCSs are sugar substitutes that have a higher sweetening effect per gram than regular sugar, such as stevia, or monk fruit. They are found in a wide range of products. As people become more health-conscious, LCSs are becoming popular. These sweeteners allow food and beverage manufacturers to create products without compromising taste, or quality while maintaining a low-calorie profile.

3. Stevia: a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia plant, has gained popularity over the years. It was one of the most used sugar substitutes in 2019, and is forecast to continue growing. The clean label trend has contributed to an increase in its use, even in artificial sweetener categories like diet sodas.

4. Reduced sweetness: stealth health is a new term I haven’t heard of until today. Manufacturers are adopting a strategy of slowly reducing sweetness levels without notifying consumers. This approach aims to maintain taste satisfaction while subtly reducing overall sugar content in products. It can be applied to other products as well.

5. Technology innovation and rare sugars: advancements in technology, and next-generation farming are likely to produce new sugar substitutes. These may include more rare sugars and sweet proteins, expanding the range of sugar substitutes available in the market.

6. Health-conscious demand: rising consumer awareness about health, fitness, and body image has led to an increase in demand for healthier food products. Therefore, there is a growing interest in low-calorie, healthy diet, which leads to growing consumption in sugar substitutes.

7. Global market growth: projected increase of $25.9 billion by 2030, growing at CAGR of 5.8%. Factors such as changing consumer preferences for healthier and low-calorie foods contribute to this growth.

To summarize, consumers are seeking sugar substitutes that align with their health goals, taste preferences, and desire for reduced calorie intake. As the market changes, expect new innovations and a wider variety of sugar substitute options to cater to these demands.

References

1. Sugar Substitutes Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report (2024). Grand View Research. Website: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/sugar-substitutes-market.

2. A Look at the sugar substitutes market (2024). Glanbia Nutritionals. Website:  https://www.glanbianutritionals.com/en/nutri-knowledge-center/insights/look-sugar-substitutes-market.

3. Sugar substitute market: pioneering the future of sweeteners through sugar reduction strategies (2024). Innova Market Insights. Website: https://www.innovamarketinsights.com/trends/sugar-substitute-market/.

4. Global Sugar Substitutes Market Report 2023-2030: Health-Conscious Trends Elevate Demand in Food and Beverage Sectors (2024). GlobeNewswire. Website: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/01/30/2820388/0/en/Global-Sugar-Substitutes-Market-Report-2023-2030-Health-Conscious-Trends-Elevate-Demand-in-Food-and-Beverage-Sectors.html.

5. Daily, Ryan (2023). Sugar reduction in 2024: How consumer demands, health policies will influence product launches. Food Navigator-USA. Website: https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2023/12/07/Sugar-reduction-in-2024-How-consumer-demands-health-policies-will-influence-product-launches.