Alliance to target obesity launches in EU Parliament as new data reveals Europeans are consuming some of the highest levels of sugar

There is an obesity epidemic spreading across the globe. New data from Euromonitor International reveals European countries have some of the highest levels of sugar consumption globally, one of the key causes of obesity and diet-related diseases. Among the 54 countries researched, the Netherlands and Hungary ranked second and third highest for sugar consumption in the world, second only to Chile, with other European countries are close behind. 

Source: Euromonitor International, Passport Nutrition

*all figures mentioned here refer to sales of total sugar (incl instrinsic and extrinsic sugars) and retail only sales.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), obesity significantly raises the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, type ii diabetes, orthopaedic issues and mental health disorders. Not only does this threaten the health of millions, but puts significant strain on health care systems and decreases productivity.

Despite European-wide efforts to reduce obesity, levels continue to increase, proving new solutions need to be implemented.

The Sugarwise Alliance is a new initiative promising to have a real impact on obesity by combining influential forces from all areas to reduce sugar intake. The Alliance brings together international stakeholders from politics, retailers, manufacturers and charities committed to improving the manufactured food environment in the interest of public health. These improvements will focus on making lower sugar products more accessible and available to consumers.

The initiative launched at the European Parliamentary Sugar Summit, supported by Alex Mayer MEP and Chair of the UK Diabetes APPG and longtime MP Keith Vaz. Industry influencers attending the summit include Lidl, Danone, Mondelez, Ferrero, and Cargill.

The aims of the Sugarwise Alliance are to:

1. Encourage increased availability of prepared food and drink options low in free sugars.
2. Increase demand for low in free sugar options through clear labelling and certification.
3. Empower consumers to make decisions beneficial to public health by ensuring like-for-like swaps between standard and lower sugar products are available.

The Sugarwise Alliance uniquely focuses on prepared food, rather than exclusively promoting fresh food. People need lower sugar options in manufactured food that they can buy. Only by offering like-for-like swaps, where lower in sugar products are offered alongside existing choices, can efforts to reduce sugar intake be successful.

Socioeconomic status is known to be a significant contributing factor to obesity. Efforts to decrease childhood obesity must therefore be relevant to those from lower socioeconomic groups. By making lower sugar products more accessible to all, the Sugarwise Alliance will be tackling a core cause of the obesity endemic, going further than current initiatives.

Membership to the Alliance is open to a wide array of stakeholders, including national level, pan continent and international organisations. Members must support the aims and work of the alliance. To find out more about joining the Sugarwise Alliance, visit the website: http://sugarwise.org/sell/membershipbenefits/

Quotations:

Dr Aseem Malhotra, Consultant Cardiologist: “The Sugarwise initiative which helps with clearer labelling of added sugar is not only helpful for consumers to get information on food products given to them in an honest manner but will help push the food industry reduce the amount of sugar that's being added to manufactured food.”

Isabelle Turney, Head of Stakeholder Relations, Sugarwise:  “Sugarwise has formed a new Alliance to tackle obesity as existing measures are not going far enough." 

Luke Fernandes, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Sugarwise:  "This initiative will focus on getting lower sugars products on shop shelves, in order to give consumers from all walks of life the opportunity to reduce their sugar and calorie intake. This will have a huge effect on levels of obesity."

Rend Platings, Founder of Sugarwise: "As a mum, you can’t always give your child a celery stick - sometime they want a chocolate bar - if we improve the lower sugar options in manufactured food, the kids can still have their treats, but with far less harmful sugars!”

More information on the Sugar Summit can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-sugar-summit-in-brussels-sugarsummit-tickets-35048379647#