Waitrose Cuts Sugar in Cereal

18 Nov 2016 --- High end UK grocer Waitrose has reduced the sugar content from more than half of its own brand cereals as part of a reformulation drive.

In total 27 own label cereals will see average sugar content reduced by 15 percent, including family favorites that appeal to children like rice pops, malted wheats and multigrain hoops. Other products such as bran flakes have had sugar reduced by 30 percent.

Waitrose - which has already reduced sugar in chilled juices, yogurts, soups, cordials and fizzy drinks - says this equates to more than 90 tons or 22.5 million teaspoons of sugar a year will have been taken out of its own cereal lines which are already on the shelves in stores nationwide and there is no difference in taste or price, according to the supermarket. 

Popular cereals such as choco pops, corn flakes and honey nut cornflakes have already seen significant reductions in 2015 and early 2016 - previously removing over 2.5 tons of sugar. The latest reformulations build on this work, cutting over 92.5 tons of sugar from Waitrose own label cereals to date. 

Last month Tesco cut more sugar out of its own brand of soft drinks as part of a reformulation strategy to offer healthier alternatives. The supermarket says the move aligns to recommendations that sugars should make up no more than 5 percent of people’s daily diet and halves the sugar content in some products including Tesco Cola. 

Public Health England has a target of 5 percent reduction in breakfast cereals by next September. 

“As cereal makes up 60 percent 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,” says Dr Emma Williams, Senior Nutritionist at Waitrose.