March 18 and March 22/Northfield, Ill., and Purchase, N.Y./Chicago Daily Herald and Associated Press Financial Wire -- Kraft Foods said it will cut the salt in its products sold in North America by an average of 10% over the next two years as food makers try to appeal to health-conscious consumers. Kraft said the move will reduce the sodium in Oscar Mayer Bologna by 17% and Easy Mac Cups by 20%. This comes on top of other cuts it has made in sodium levels in recent years. Many other food makers -- like Campbell Soup Co. -- have cut the salt in their foods to appeal to shoppers who are increasingly tracing their health to what they eat.
Likewise, PepsiCo Inc. plans to cut the sodium found in each serving of its key brands by one-fourth in five years, as the industry deals with pressure from the government and health-conscious shoppers who want more options.