Reducing sugar, salt and fat
Our commitment: Further decrease sugars, sodium and saturated fat
Reducing sugars, sodium and saturated fat in our foods and beverages, and removing all trans fats originating from partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are key to our commitment to provide healthier and tastier choices. By reducing the levels of these nutrients in our foods and beverages through gradual, science‑based renovation, we can improve health outcomes and decrease non‑communicable diseases (NCDs).
Our objectives in 2016
By 2016: Further reduce sugar content by 10% in products that do not meet the Nestlé Nutritional Foundation (NF) criteria with respect to sugar, to ensure continual improvement – including the more challenging areas of our product portfolio.
By 2016: Further reduce sodium content by 10% in products that do not meet the NF criteria with respect to sodium, ensuring a gradual reduction even in more challenging areas of our product portfolio.
By 2016: Further reduce saturated fats by 10% in products that do not meet the NF criteria with respect to saturated fats.
By 2016: Remove trans fats originating from partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) from all our foods and beverages.
Our progress to date
By the end of 2016, we had reduced our added sugar content by 8%, the equivalent of 39 000 tonnes. Our efforts in this area will continue through our new commitment on sugar reduction.
We have also continued to reduce the sodium content of our products to help consumers achieve a sodium intake of 2 g per day, the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). By the end of 2016, we had reduced sodium content by 10.5% in our foods and beverages, equivalent to an overall salt reduction of 2700 tonnes. While this means we have exceeded our 10% reduction objective, our efforts in this area will continue through our new commitment on sodium reduction.
By the end of 2016, we had reduced the saturated fat content by 6.5%, equivalent to 6200 tonnes. Developing new technologies, carrying out stability studies and investing in equipment are required to reduce saturated fats across our portfolio. To complete these activities, while offering tastier and healthier choices to our consumers, we require more time and have therefore extended the deadline for this specific commitment. More than 99.8% of the fats and oils we will use in our foods and beverages from 1 January 2017 will not contain trans fats originating from PHOs.
Our new objectives will help us further reduce the sugar, sodium and saturated fat content in our foods and beverages by 2020.
Our objectives towards 2020
By 2020: Reduce the sugars we add in our products by 5% to support individuals and families in meeting global recommendations.
By 2020: Reduce the sodium we add in our products by 10% to support individuals and families in meeting global recommendations.
By 2020: Complete the 10% commitment taken in 2014, to reduce saturated fats by 10% in all relevant products that do not meet the NF criteria with respect to saturated fats.