The news this week that members of the Food and Drink
Federation (FDF) have signed up to a 250 calorie cap for all single serve
confectionery sold in the UK might not be a surprise to many, as the big
manufacturers have generally made initial progress in this area already. The
FDF target is now spring 2016.
My first thought is to wonder whether this is a potential
opportunity for manufacturers to make chocolate bars smaller still. After all,
sugar, which makes up a fair percentage of calories in a chocolate bar, has a
weight. Take this out or reduce it significantly (if the nation's taste buds can adapt) and the size of the bar falls.
Now, maybe eating smaller bars is a good thing (even if we don’t
see a corresponding drop in the price and I’ll come back to that point
shortly). Indeed Cadbury has chosen to scrap its CDM Bar and a Half range by
the end of 2015 due to its higher calorific value. But being devil’s advocate,
will smaller bars encourage those that like to indulge to buy two instead?! And
will promotional activity encourage this?
Back to my point about price. There are pros and cons of
smaller bars not seeing a reduction in RRP. Cheaper chocolate could mean that
there is a tendency to buy more; certainly defeating the entire objective here.
But make them smaller and retain the price and we’ll all feel somewhat cheated,
perhaps indulging in better value confectionery items such as bigger bars to
share and bags.
Another thought, will this activity in chocolate see sugar
confectionery items (not calorie limited) look better value for money and move
sales across to that category? And will £1 bars of chocolate simply become the
loophole, further stinting the already faltering singles chocolate bar market.
The situation is far from clear in my humble opinion, even
before we consider the excessive levels of sugar in many day to day foodstuffs
such as bread and baked beans. I am wholeheartedly for developing a healthier
nation and reducing obesity but if people want to eat chocolate that is exactly
what they will do – in a quantity that they desire!
A multi-pronged attack on obesity is certainly constructive,
so long as we have the support of those that are obese. Eating and drinking
less sugary foods overall and taking more exercise have to be key factors in
the equation too.
