Health and nutrition strategy
Summary:
UB’s focus on health and nutrition is integral to providing quality snacks that consumers can enjoy within a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. UB’s health and nutrition strategy is to remove or reduce the ingredients consumers may be concerned about, add more of the wholesome ingredients they would like to eat, for example, fruit and cereals, and clearly communicate the nutrition content of products on the packaging. For several years, UB has been working on reformulation programmes to remove trans fat, remove artificial colours and flavours, reduce saturated fat, reduce salt and reduce sugar. UB communicates the changes on pack as well as providing clear nutrition information to show how the snacks fit into consumers’ daily dietary intake. The following are some examples of UB’s health and nutrition programme:
Rising success of lower fat snacks:
More and more consumers are choosing lower fat snacks as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. The go ahead! range of biscuits and snacks has grown significantly since its launch in 1996 and plays an important part of the healthier biscuits category. go ahead! products now include Raspberry & Cranberry Wholemeal Slices and Strawberry Twist Wholemeal Bakes. McVitie’s Lights range of Digestives, Rich Tea and Hob Nobs also have 30% less fat.
Healthy ingredients:
UB selects healthy, natural ingredients for its new product development, including wholegrains, oats and cereals, fruit and nuts.
Removal of trans fats:
UB led the way among biscuit manufacturers by removing partially hydrogenated vegetable oil from biscuit doughs in 2004. Since then, it has been phasing out the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in all its products. All McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Crawford’s, BN, Delacre, Sultana and Verkade biscuits and snacks made by UB are now baked with non-hydrogenated vegetable oils. KP and Jacob’s crisps and snacks made by UB are also baked or fried in non-hydrogenated vegetable oils.
No artificial colours:
UB has had a continuous programme to remove artificial colours and flavours from its products since 2000. McVitie's biscuits, McVitie's Jaffa Cakes, Penguin, Mini Cheddars, Jacob's biscuits and crackers, Jacob's Twiglets and all KP snacks including Hula Hoops and McCoy’s plus BN, Verkade and Sultana products are free from artificial colours. (Except Jacob's Cheese Footballs, KP Toffee Choc Dips, KP Crunchies and TUC Cheese Sandwich. These will be removed during 2009.)
No artificial flavours:
McVitie's biscuits, McVitie's Jaffa Cakes, Penguin, Jacob's biscuits, Delacre and Mini Cheddars are free from artificial flavours. All Verkade childrens products plus Savoury Slices made by Sultana and Crispy Slices, Yoghurt Breaks and Fruit Bakes made by go ahead! and Sultana are made without artificial flavours. All future BN, Delacre, Verkade and Sultana innovations will be made without artificial flavours. (Except Boasters, Mini Cookies, Choc Chip Cookies, Raspberry and White Chocolate Cookies, Cookies, Assortments, Mini Cheddars Branston Pickle flavour and Jacob's Cheeselets. These will be removed during 2009).
Saturated fat reduction:
In November 2008, UB reduced the saturated fat content of three of its leading McVitie's biscuit brands so that the standard and Lights ranges of McVitie's Digestives, McVitie's HobNobs and McVitie's Rich Tea contained 50% less saturated fat. In December 2009 the saturated fat in these products was reduced by a further 50%, meaning these products now contain their lowest ever levels of saturated fat.
UB has reduced the saturated fat content of its top snacks. Hula Hoops are made with sunflower oil and now contain 80% less saturated fat than in 2005. Since March 2007 Skips and Discos now have 50% less saturated fat, McCoy’s, McCoy’s Specials and McCoy’s Specials Tortillas have 30% less saturated fat and Frisps and Roysters contain 60% less saturated fat.
With the change of palm to sunflower oil, reductions in saturated fat in products includes 50% less saturated fat in Crispy Fruit Slices made by Sultana and go ahead!, a 40% reduction on Sultana’s Savoury Slices and an 17% reduction on Yoghurt Breaks made by Sultana and go ahead!
Salt reduction:
UB has salt reduction programmes for both its biscuits and snacks categories. To date UB has achieved 23% sodium reduction across its biscuits and cakes portfolio. These reductions include McVitie’s Digestives and HobNobs, two of UB’s top selling biscuits: McVitie’s HobNobs have a 40% sodium (60% salt) reduction and McVitie’s Digestives have a 27% sodium (51% salt) reduction. UB has achieved an 18% sodium reduction across the crisps and snacks portfolio.
Hula Hoops have had a 31% sodium reduction and Skips have had a 27% sodium reduction since 2004. Discos have a 37% sodium reduction, Mini Cheddars and Nik Naks have a 10% sodium reduction, and McCoy’s Core Crisps range has a 22% sodium reduction. Wheat Crunchies have had a 46% sodium reduction since 2006.
Sultana has reduced its sodium content on Savoury Slices by 23% since 2008.
Sugar reduction:
UB will continue to anticipate and meet consumers needs by making healthier new snacks and delivering product improvements across its portfolio.