SUGAR free is where retailers’ minds need to be when it comes to confectionery, according to category giant Perfetti Van Melle, with the firm suggesting there will be some big innovations in the category this year.
Mark Roberts, trade and marketing manager at PVM, said that retailers must “take action” in the fight to reduce sugar consumption.
“Kantar research is already showing incremental penetration in the market for sugar free and sugar-reduced products and by giving consumers more choice and making the products more visible in store, there are ways to increase the value in the market,” he said.
Roberts added that PVM has its own plans for 2018, with innovation in the sugar free sub-category an avenue well worth wandering down.
“There are signs of strong growth within sugar free and sugar reduced products, which is supported further by the growing number of consumers now consciously purchasing goods with a lower percentage of sugar.
“We very much expect new innovation in the reduced and sugar free category in 2018, we know consumers are seeking it out, and that retailer may already note people enquiring specifically about healthier options. Over the next year we will continue to emphasise the benefit of our reduced and sugar free offering, alongside our best-selling core products.”
