Waitrose Reduces Sugar Content in Private-Label Cereals

U.K.-based retailer says it is lowering the sugar content in 27 of its own cereal brands.

November 21, 2016

LONDON – More than half of all private-label breakfast cereals at Waitrose will have significantly lower sugar levels as part of the retailer’s ongoing reformulation program.

A total of 27 Waitrose cereals will see average sugar content reduced by 15%. The reduction means that more than 22.5 million teaspoons of sugar a year will have been taken out of Waitrose’s cereals.

Boxes of the reformulated versions are beginning to appear on store shelves, without sacrificing taste or price. This success builds on the retailer’s wider ongoing reformulation project, which has already seen a significant amount of sugar taken out of chilled juices, yogurts, soups, cordials and fizzy drinks in recent years.

Popular cereals such as choco pops, corn flakes and honey nut cornflakes have already seen significant reductions in 2015 and early 2016—previously removing more than 2.5 tons of sugar. The latest reformulations build on this work, cutting more than 92.5 tons of sugar from Waitrose cereals to date. The retailer will be cutting sugar in the rest of its private-label cereals next year as part of its ongoing reformulation plan.

Public Health England has a target of 5% sugar reduction in breakfast cereals by September 2017.

Dr. Emma Williams, senior nutritionist at Waitrose, said in a press release: “As cereal makes up 60% of breakfasts this is a great way to help customers reduce the amount of sugar in their diet. Our customers want a healthy start to the day, and reducing sugar is one way for us to help them achieve this. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, with many breakfast cereals fortified with valuable nutrients, such as B-vitamins, vitamin D and iron.”

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement