Action on Sugar finds high-sugar yogurts in child-friendly packaging “misleading” to parents

19 Aug 2021 --- UK lobby group Action on Sugar (AoS) is calling for government restrictions on the use of child-friendly packaging and labeling to “stop misleading parents” after discovering high levels of sugar in yogurts targeted at children.

New data analysis from AoS, based at the Queen Mary University of London, found only 5 out of 100 “child-friendly” marketed yogurts were rated “low in sugar.” Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of sampled yogurts exceeded 19 g of added sugars – which is a four to six-year-old’s maximum daily intake – by a third or more.

“Selling more products is the biggest motivator for these companies. If that means misleading consumers a little, then manufacturers will do it,” Dr. Kawther Hashem, AoS campaign lead, tells NutritionInsight.

“Emphasizing the healthy aspects of a product through large font size, color and child-friendly images, while only mentioning the legal requirements on sugar content in the smallest print possible, achieves this.”

According to its National Audit Office report from last year, childhood obesity costs the National Health Service (NHS) an estimated £6.1 billion (US$7.9 billion), and wider society £27 billion (US$35.1 billion) annually. Notably, in 2018/19, nearly 10 percent of four to five-year-olds and more than one-fifth of 10- to 11-year-olds were obese in the UK.

Two of Nestlé’s yogurts ranked highest in terms of sugar content in AoS’s survey.The biggest culprit?
The survey, conducted between April and May, included the collection of calories, sugar, salt, fiber and vitamin data per 100 g and per serving for yogurts that may appeal to children.

Data was collected online via retailer websites and in stores, including Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Ocado, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Co-op and Waitrose.

In the AoS study, the “worst offender” was Nestlé Rolo Mix-in Toffee yogurt with 5.5 teaspoons of sugar per serving, equating to 22 g. Nestlé Smarties Vanilla Flavour yogurt was found to include four teaspoons of sugar per serving, or 16.5 g.

The group also claims progress to reformulate and reduce added sugar in yogurts with child-friendly packaging is “disappointingly sluggish.”

In response, Nestlé UK tells NutritionInsight Lactalis Nestlé Chilled Dairy UK is “fully committed” to the Public Health England sugar reduction program. “We have an ongoing program of innovation, reformulation and size reduction to remove calories and reduce sugar in our products.”

“Indeed, we have reduced sugar by more than 20 percent in our yogurt products since the baseline start of this program in 2015, which is the equivalent of 4.8 metric tons of sugar removed,” shares the spokesperson.

They add that any new products developed in the Nestlé segment will contain “lower than average or no added sugar.”

AoS is concerned nutrition and health claims on packaging mislead parents and distract from the nutrition labels. A double-edged spoon
Hashem adds that sugar is a cheaper ingredient than healthier alternatives, leading companies to opt for sugar more frequently.

Specifically, the surveyed yogurts contain added sugar, syrups and fruit concentrates, which are “free sugars” that can be harmful to children’s health and their teeth.

Simultaneously, several of these yogurts also featured claims about calcium, vitamin D, and being high in protein. AoS warns this creates a distorted “health halo” that “distracts” parents from scrutinizing the nutrition labels more carefully.

Government’s guidance responsibility
Packaging elements that fall into the “child-friendly” definition include smaller sizes, animated style, balloon-lettered fonts and kid-themed language. Brand or cartoon characters, such as Peppa Pig, and media partnerships, such as with Disney, also attracts the child’s eye.

Hashem argues while some may think the definition of “child-friendly” can be blurred, that does not mean clear guidance cannot be set. “The government must set clear definitions for the industry and create a level playing field.”

Similar guidance is also set for children’s TV, Hashem adds. This May, the UK government committed to prohibiting advertisements on foods high in fat, sugar or salt on TV before 9 p.m. and online entirely from April 2022.

Meanwhile, calls for better labeling guidance have been voiced in the baby food sector, where front-of-pack labels and ingredient lists are reportedly “disconnected.” Last month, AoS also called on cereal manufacturers to remove child-friendly packaging images from all unhealthy cereals.

By Anni Schleicher

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