European soft drinks sector achieves 17.7% reduction in average added sugars
The European soft drinks sector has delivered a further 3.6% reduction in average added sugars between 2019 and 2021, according to UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe.
This new sugar reduction milestone is part of the sector’s most recent commitment to reduce
average added sugars in its beverages by another 10% in the EU27 and the UK between 2019
and 2025, under the umbrella of the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and its Code of Conduct on
Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices. This means that Europe’s soft drinks
sector has already achieved a 17.7% reduction in average added sugars since 2015.
Ian Ellington, president of UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe and senior vice-president and chief
marketing officer for PepsiCo in Europe, said: “Today’s announcement shows that our
efforts to meet our latest sugar reduction target are delivering results: a further 10% reduction
in average added sugars in our drinks in the EU27 and the UK from 2019 to 2025. It also
demonstrates our ongoing commitment to encourage consumers towards heathier drink
options by offering them more no- and low-calorie products.’’
Europe’s soft drinks sector has achieved an average market share of over 29% of no and low calorie products in Europe, with some markets as high as 40-50%.
Over the past 20 years, UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe has contributed to building a healthier
food system in Europe. UNESDA corporate members have made significant investments in
reformulation and new product development to reduce average added sugars in their drinks
with the goal of providing consumers with healthier drink choices.
The sector has achieved a total of 26% reduction in average added sugars since 2000. It has also become the first and only sector to have committed to the EU call for a 10% added sugars reduction by 2020 and to have significantly exceeded this target by reaching a 14.6% sugar reduction from 2015 to 2019.
