Is smaller more healthy?

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.

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