Soft drinks producers in Sweden have committed to further reduce the sugar content in their products.
Members of the Sveriges Bryggerier (the Swedish Brewers Association), which represents producers of goods such as soft drinks, beer and cider, have pledged to cut sugar in carbonated soft drinks by 40% by 2030, compared with 2019 levels.
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In a statement, the group said the target will be hit through “five priority areas”.
Those include reformulating recipes, growing the amount of low- and no-sugar options, and increasing availability of smaller package sizes.
The association will also look to achieve the 2030 goal through responsible marketing, and monitoring of results across the industry, it said.
Reflecting on the news, Anna-Karin Fondberg, the CEO of the Sveriges Bryggerier, said: “We want to take greater responsibility for public health and inspire more food producers to contribute to reduced sugar intake. Beverage producers in Sweden have been working together on sugar reduction since 2019 and have taken the lead on sugar reduction in international comparisons.”
Last year, the Sveriges Bryggerier announced its members had cut added sugar levels in soft drinks by 28% between 2019 and 2024. It had originally set a 15% reduction target for the period.
The country’s soft drinks sector also introduced voluntary calorie labelling back in 2006. These labels became mandatory eight years later.
UNESDA, the trade association representing soft drinks producers across Europe, has set a voluntary target of 10% between 2019 and 2025 for industry members across the bloc and the UK.
Also commenting on the latest pledge, Peter Hammarstedt, the CEO of Carlsberg Sweden, said: “At Carlsberg Sweden, we work hard to reduce sugar in our beverage portfolio, and today 80% of our soft drinks sold are sugar-free. This clearly shows that consumer preferences are changing-and that we as an industry can make a real difference. The new commitment further strengthens our joint work.”
“The new commitment contributes to continuing to drive the development of both new products and adaptations of existing recipes, as consumers’ wishes and expectations change,” said Arjan Wiertz, the CEO of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Sweden.
