Reducing calories and sugar in beverages: national and

international developments, discussions in politics and

society as well as solutions

Dr. Detlef Groß

Manuela Windhausen
Wirtschaftsvereinigung Alkoholfreie Getränke e.V. (wafg)

105th VLB October Convention

Berlin, 16 October 2018
 About us: Wirtschaftsvereinigung Alkoholfreie Getränke e.V. (wafg)

We represent:
• the interests of the soft drink industry

• about 60 companies, especially internationally

operating manufacturers, as well as medium-sized
and regional mineral water springs, manufacturers of
fruit juice beverages and companies working in the
pre-product stages

2 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Per capita consumption: soft drinks remain stable, water dominates

(Mineral) water remains the category that stands out with the highest
consumption in the NAB sector

3 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Per capita consumption of soft drinks, 2012 - 2017

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 (+/-)

Lemonades (total) 82.9 83.5 79.4 78.9 77.9 75.5 -3.1%

Cola and cola mixed drinks 31.5 32.4 31.4 35.8 37.8 35.7 -5.7%
Cola and cola mixed drinks (light) 10.1 11.0 10.5 10.0 10.3 10.5 1.7%
Lemonades 36.6 36.0 34.2 29.9 26.7 26.4 -1.0% “Traditional” lemonades / cola:
Lemonades (light) 4.7 4.1 3.3 3.2 3.1 3.0 -3.6% - 3.7 % (2017 vs. 2016)

Spritzers/water and fruit drinks 7.6 7.2 7.0 7.9 7.8 7.9 1.1%

Flavoured water 7.4 6.8 6.2 5.3 5.3 5.6 5.4%

Diet soft drinks 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 1.4%

Enriched drinks and energy drinks 3.2 3.2 3.5 3.8 3.8 4.4 15.2%

Fizzy drinks and other soft drinks 5.0 4.8 4.1 4.0 4.1 4.1 -1.0%

Coffee and tea drinks 7.6 8.0 7.5 7.3 7.4 7.1 -4.2%

Fruit juice drinks (total) 10.9 11.3 11.2 10.9 10.7 10.5 -2.2%
Non-fizzy fruit juice drinks 8.9 9.1 8.7 8.3 7.8 8.0 1.8%
Non-fizzy fruit juice drinks (light) 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 15.6%
Fizzy fruit juice drinks 1.0 1.3 1.6 1.9 2.1 1.5 -26.2%
Source: wafg (values in litre per
Fizzy fruit juice drinks (light) 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.4 29.4% capita based on data of the Federal
Statistical Office), as of 18 May 2018
Soft drinks (total) 125.4 125.5 119.6 118.8 117.8 115.8 -1.7%
4 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Our category stands for product diversity and innovation

Bild: wafg / Gero Breloer

Image: Fotolia / Korta

Image: LEBENSMITTEL PRAXIS

5 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Sugar and soft drinks – facts and perception: the debate in the media

6 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 The tale of the “hidden sugar”

How food manufacturers fool you by “hiding” sugar

Image and (German) text (source):

www.daserste.de/information/
ratgeber-service/vorsicht-verbraucher
falle/versteckter-zucker-ausfuehrlich-
100.html

7 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 The tale of the “hidden sugar”

… is a modern tale!

Image: Fotolia / Yafit Art

8 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Straightforward information on nutrition labelling

The list of ingredients contains a complete list of

all ingredients used in descending order (by
quantity). Here, types of sugar (in compliance with
legal requirements) are listed by name (e.g. fructose
or glucose syrup).

The sugar content (total) is evident from the

nutrition labelling:
The nutrition table always includes the total sugar
content and the energy content (all simple sugars
and double sugars, e.g. glucose, fructose, lactose or
sucrose are listed) – specified in 100g/ml for ready
comparison.

9 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 The reality of obesity: many factors come into play

Source: Presentation “Overweight children and childhood obesity: development, consequences & prevention strategies” Prof. Dr. Arya M Sharma,
University of Alberta

10 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Nutritional factors:
The integral role of the energy balance

11 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Analysis based on the “Nationale Verzehrsstudie”
(German National Nutritional Survey, NVS II)

A comparison – soft drink consumption and being overweight (age)

Adipositas/ Präadipositas und der Konsum von Adipositas/ Präadipositas und der Konsum von
CSDs bei Männern CSDs bei Frauen

100,0% 500 100,0% 500

80,0% 400 80,0% 400
60,0% 300 60,0% 300
40,0% 200 40,0% 200
20,0% 100 20,0% 100
0,0% 0 0,0% 0
19-24 25-34 35-50 51-64 65-80 19-24 25-34 35-50 51-64 65-80
Altersgruppe Altersgruppe

Adipositas/ Präadipositas (linke Skala) Adipositas/ Präadipositas (linke Skala)

CSD-Konsum g/ Tag (rechte Skala) CSD-Konsum g/ Tag (rechte Skala)

12 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 WHO data: no correlation between BMI and soft drink consumption I

11-year-olds who report that they are 11-year-olds who drink soft drinks daily 2014
• Xx
overweight or obese according to BMI in 2014
1 Belgium 28%
1
2
Greece
Italy
34%
29% 2 Hungary 26% Data
3
• Spain 28% 3
4
Switzerland
France
23%
22%
on 11-year-olds
4 Portugal 27%
5 Poland 26% 5 Poland 21%
6 Croatia 27% 6 Romania 21%
7 Slovenia 25% 7 Luxembourg 21%
8 Slovakia 20%
8 Slovakia 24%
9 Croatia 19%
9 Romania 24%
10 Italy 18%
10 Ireland 23%
11 Portugal 18%
11 Hungary 23%
12 Estonia 23% 12 The Netherlands 17%
13 Latvia 23% 13 Germany 17%
14 Lithuania 22% 14 Czech Republic 15%
15 Czech Republic 22% 15 Spain 15%
16 England 22% 16 Lithuania 13%
17 Finland 21% 17 Austria 12% Based on UNESDA /
18 Luxembourg 20% 18 England 10% Data source:
19 France 18% 19 Ireland 8% WHO. Social
20 Austria 18% 20 Estonia 8% determinants of health
21 Belgium 17% 21 Latvia 6% and well-being among
22 Sweden 17% 22 Slovenia 6% young people. Health
23 Germany 16% 23 Denmark 5% behaviour in school-
24 Switzerland 15% 24 Norway 4% aged children study
25 Norway 14% 25 Sweden 4%
(HBSC). 2013/2014
26 Denmark 12% 26 Greece 3%
27 Netherlands 12% 27 Finland 2%
survey.

13 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 WHO data: no correlation between BMI and soft drink consumption II

15-year-olds who report that they are 15-year-olds who drink soft drinks daily in 2014
overweight or obese according to BMI in 2014 1 Belgium 35%
1 Greece 24% 2 Luxembourg 34% Data
3 Netherlands 34%
2
3
Finland
Slovenia
20%
20% 4 France 32% on 15-year-olds
4 Spain 20% 5 Hungary 31%
5 Portugal 19% 6 Switzerland 30%
6 Hungary 19% 7 Romania 27%
7 Ireland 19% 8 Slovakia 27%
8 Sweden 19% 9 Croatia 25%
9 Czech Republic 18% 10 Poland 24%
10 Germany 18% 11 Spain 21%
11 Luxembourg 18% 12 Germany 21%
12 Italy 18% 13 Portugal 20%
13 Croatia 17% 14 Austria 20%
14 Romania 16% 15 Czech Republic 16%
15 Belgium 16% 16 England 16%
16 Estonia 16% 17 Ireland 14% Based on UNESDA /
17 Norway 16% 18 Italy 14% Data source:
18 Austria 15% 19 Lithuania 10% WHO. Social
19 Poland 15%
20 Norway 9% determinants of health
20 Slovakia 15%
21 Greece 7% and well-being among
21 Latvia 15%
22 Slovenia 7% young people. Health
22 England 15%
23 Latvia 7%
23 Switzerland 15% behaviour in school-
24 France 14% 24 Denmark 7%
aged children study
25 Netherlands 14% 25 Sweden 6%
26 Estonia 5%
(HBSC). 2013/2014
26 Lithuania 13%
27 Denmark 12% 27 Finland 3% survey.

14 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Another explanation for these findings?

EU: different body weight and lifestyles among schoolchildren

Obesity and overweight rates Cycling – average time
Highest share Greece 44.4% More than 40 minutes
Highest values Norway, Netherlands
Lowest share Belgium 16.9% per week
Up to 7 minutes
Lowest values Greece etc.
per week

Hip measurement Soft drink consumption in ml/day

Highest values Greece Boys Girls
Difference of 7 to 8
Image: Fotolia / Albachiaraa Lowest values Netherlands cm Highest value Netherlands 700 565
Belgium 502 408

Lowest value Greece 139 92

Source / Data: Brug J et al. (2012) Differences in weight status and energy-balance related behaviors among schoolchildren across Europe: the
ENERGY-project. PLoS One, 7(4):e34742. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0034742

15 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Important discussions and fundamental questions

Bild: Fotolia / Markus Mainka

• The “Nationale Reduktionsstrategie” (German National Reduction Strategy)
draft by Federal Minister Christian Schmidt took the single approach of
“environmental prevention”.
• It is also up for discussion whether the targeted approach of “behavioural
prevention” (individual prevention) or all-encompassing strategies is more
effective in preventing and combating obesity.

16 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 National Reduction and Innovation Strategy
(Starting point: WHO)

17 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 National Reduction and Innovation Strategy
(Starting point: developments at EU level)

Developments at EU level

18 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE
General attitude towards state regulations on nutritional action

completely agree/ agree

It should be mandotory to teach healthy… 81,2%

I'd appreciate it if healthy foods were… 81,0%
The State should ensure that we aren't only… 65,2%
Looking at the great expense of healthcare,… 62,3%
I'd be delighted if the State were to ensure… 61,6%
The State shouldn't interfere with the diet of… 21,2%
I find it hard to eat healthy. 20,2%
Since it's hard for me to eat healthy, the… 19,8%
It's important to me to eat tasty food today,… 16,9%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

* Representative Survey of Marketingberatung Zühlsdorf + Partner GbR on behalf of the vzbv, 2018

© 2017 Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. 3 October 2018 19

 PROMOTING HEALTHY EATING
The vzbv demands:

an overarching national strategy for the prevention of poor nutrition and

overweight
a national strategy to reduce sugar, salt and fat in processed foods to be
developed
uniform, colour-coded nutrition labelling (100 g/ml), e.g. by means of a nutrition
traffic light, to be introduced nationwide/ EU-wide
a ban on advertising aimed at children, if it does not adhere to WHO nutrient
profiling
completion of the Regulation on Health Claims: introducing nutrient profiles
consumer education as part of school education

© 2017 Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. 3 October 2018 20

 CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE ON
REFORMULATION
Question: How do you relate to the following statements?

completely agree/ agree

I'd like to be able to see on the product if… 79,6%

I'm concerned that ingredients such as salt,… 77,9%
It's important to me that food becomes… 74,0%
When shopping, I'd specifically search for… 57,7%
As food becomes healthier, I accept gradual… 56,7%
The State should set product-related… 53,6%
It's most important that the taste doesn't… 39,5%
The foods I usually consume shouldn't be… 26,8%
The responsibility of the amount of sugar,… 19,3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

* Representative Survey of Marketingberatung Zühlsdorf + Partner GbR on behalf of the vzbv, 2018

© 2017 Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. 3 October 2018 21

 VZBV’S POSITION
• Representative surveys demonstrate:
o Nearly 66% of consumers would be happy if the state were to ensure healthier food.
o 54% would welcome it if product-related maximum levels for sugar, fat and salt were
introduced.*

• The vzbz’s perspective – factors to render the national reduction strategy a success:
o The reduction strategy should be part of an overarching strategy against poor nutrition
o Targets and deadlines should be binding (whereby medium-term deadlines can be taken
into account without postponing activities)
o Measurable interim results and comparability
o Product-specific approach with focus on “problem categories”
o Sugar should not just be swapped for sweeteners
o Reducing a substance must affect a calorie reduction
o Instead of focussing on marketing, the actual food quality should be improved

* Representative Survey of Marketingberatung Zühlsdorf + Partner GbR on behalf of the vzbv, 2018

© 2017 Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. 3 October 2018 22

 BMEL draft (2017) of a National Reduction Strategy I

Only selected categories to be reformulated:

• Soft drinks sweetened with sugar
• Bread and rolls
• Frozen pizza
• Cereals
• Dairy products

Objective: The reduction of saturated fatty acids,

sugar and salt in convenience food

23 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 A reasonable selection? Results of the German National Nutritional Survey
(NVS II)

Table: Drinking habits (non-alcoholic beverages) in Germany

24 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 BMEL draft (2017) of a National Reduction Strategy II

• The Ministry adopts a “best in class” approach.

All recipes in the relevant product areas should be
in line with this approach.

• Regarding soft drinks, there is the explicit requirement

to not only adjust the sugar content but also the taste
(“sweetness”) in general. Sweeteners are also called
into question – despite the same not adding any calories.

We criticise: this puts the variety of products offered on the line

– surely, nobody wants a “standard recipe”.

25 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Challenges of successful reformulation/ calorie reduction I

Essential: consumer acceptance of modified recipes.

Legal requirements including the descriptions the products are marketed under
in the “Leitsätze für Erfrischungsgetränke” (Soft drink guidelines):
• 30% rule for permitted communication
• permissibility of sweeteners
• Minimum sugar content in lemonades
• “Light” spritzers

26 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Challenges of successful reformulation/ calorie reduction II

The technological requirements are by no means trivial and should not

be underestimated in real-life situations:
• Certainly a great development effort regarding consumer expectations
• Product perception or “mouthfeel”
• Product stability or shelf life, etc.

Our conviction: the “sovereignty of the recipe ” lies with the companies.

27 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Specifications and targets in the Coalition Agreement (2018)

Translated excerpt from the Coalition Agreement (emphasis by wafg):

In 2018, we will develop a concept together with all parties involved for the
national reduction strategy for sugar, fat and salt in finished products
complemented with scientifically sound, binding targets and a fixed timetable.
Together with the food trade, we will ensure the possibility of a feasible
implementation in this area. Here, we will be focussing on the needs of smaller
businesses in particular.

28 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 National Reduction and Innovation Strategy

“Roundtable” discussion on the development of a National Reduction and

Innovation Strategy at the invitation of Federal Minister Klöckner

• Participants from business, science

and the (involved) public

• Minister Klöckner: Coalition agreement is

to be implemented – not “if” but “how”
is the question

29 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 National Reduction and Innovation Strategy
(Priorities publicly declared by the Minister)

“100 days of stock taking” by Federal Minister Julia Klöckner

(translated excerpt from the BMEL press release of 19 June 2018)

Healthy Eating
"It is of utmost importance to me that our children grow up healthy and that
people eat healthily.”
Klöckner wants to ensure that healthy eating becomes natural:
by offering a wide range of healthy foods that contain less sugar, fat and salt.
Together with trade associations, she is therefore working on an innovation
strategy for readymade foods.
This should be accompanied by portion sizes on packaging, which correspond to
portions people actually consume.

30 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 National Reduction and Innovation Strategy
(Concept: column diagram and toolbox)

31 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 What does our sector offer already?

32 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Achievements and challenges

33 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 But: the scandal talk continues…

34 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 … and reaches consumers in many ways

35 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Reformulation – is it really “simple enough”?

Bild: Fotolia / angelo gi

36 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 One truth by Paracelsus remains...

“All things are poison, and nothing is without poison,

the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison.”

Quoted from:
Die dritte Defension wegen
des Schreibens der neuen
Rezepte, in: Septem
Defensiones 1538. Werke
Bd 2, Darmstadt 1965,
p. 510

Bilder: D. Groß
37 Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte
 Thank you
for listening
For questions or comments:
dgross@wafg.de
mwindhausen@wafg.de

Further information on the

Wirtschaftsvereinigung Alkoholfreie Getränke (wafg):
www.wafg.de

Kalorien- und Zuckerreduktion in Getränken: Politische und gesellschaftliche Diskussion sowie Lösungskonzepte