Welcoming stevia into products for children
Parents say “yes” to stevia in global research study
Parents around the globe face the daily challenge of providing proper nutrition for their children, while at the same time educating them to make good food choices. However, parents are not always satisfied with the choices available.
Based on global insights research across the globe1, parents consistently express a desire for fewer calories in foods and beverages for their kids. At the same time, a majority of parents in many global markets say they would not be willing to give their children foods and beverages with “artificial” sweeteners.
For example, based on a study in Chile conducted in October 2014, results indicate that almost all parents would prefer that the food and beverage products they give their children were sweetened with either less sugar or no sugar (51% less sugar, 46% no sugar) and 73% claim they would not give “artificial” sweeteners to their children.
Despite a lack of formal definitions around terms like “natural” and “artificial” when it comes to sweeteners, many parents surveyed do focus on managing the type of sweeteners consumed by their family. Among U.S. households, 85 percent of those with children actively manage intake of their kids’ foods and beverages based on the type of sweetener, while in Germany, 82 percent do so.
Stevia proves it’s a natural fit
Throughout global markets, consumer research suggests that stevia garners strong appeal among parents as a sweetener ingredient in foods and beverages for their kids. In most measured markets, the majority of parents assert that they would “likely buy” foods and beverages sweetened with stevia for their kids.
In fact, purchase interest in beverages for kids’ consumption that are sweetened with stevia ranges from an average of 50% of parents in the US stating they would buy, to 58% of parents in Russia, and 74% of parents in Mexico.
And why is stevia gaining such strong approval among parents?
Stevia uniquely delivers on consumer demand for ingredients of natural origin and allow for calorie reduction, all without sacrificing on great taste. Parents are paying attention to the individual ingredients within foods and beverages and analyzing each across a variety of factors such as taste, calorie content, safety and sustainability as part of their purchase decisions. For these reasons, stevia as a plant-based, zero-calorie sweetener is rising to the top of choices among parents looking to reduce unwanted sweetener calories in their children’s diets.
REFERENCES
- PureCircle Proprietary Consumer Sweetener Studies, 2013 – 2014