Although an escalating number of consumers worldwide are diagnosed with diabetes each year, that same growth is not evident in numbers of global new diabetic food and beverage products tracked by Innova Market Insights.
For the record, the leading sub-categories in 2015 with a diabetic positioning were Sugar & Sweeteners, accounting for 15% of product launches tracked; followed by Sweet Spreads (10%); and interestingly, Sports Powders (9%).
Meanwhile, there has been increasing focus on new product development in the sugar free, no added sugar and low sugar space, in order to garner interest from the wider demographic of health conscious consumers—not just diabetics or the obese.
Global product launch activity tracked by Innova Market Insights with either a sugar free or low sugar positioning increased in 2015 from 2014, with growth of +15% and +42% respectively, while no added sugar positioned product launch activity remained stable.
Low GI (glycemic index) claims on-pack continue to gain momentum, as an aid not only for diabetics, but for all carb-conscious consumers. Global low GI positioned product launch activity tracked by Innova Market Insights experienced a +13% increase in 2015 from 2014. Yogurt new product development on a Low GI platform has surged to become the leading sub-category for low GI positioned activity in 2015, representing 14% of launches, followed by Sugar & Sweeteners (13%), Cereal & Energy Bars (10%) and Sports Powders (7%).
2017 Ingredients for Health Guide Categories:
Diabetes & Blood Glucose Control
Originally appeared in the December, 2016 issue of Prepared Foods as Sugar: How Low Can You Go?.
