Nestle will make further cuts to the amount of sugar, salt and saturated fats in its products as it tries to improve the image of packaged foods in the eyes of health-conscious consumers, the Swiss group said on Tuesday, cited by Reuters.
Nestle and its rivals are under pressure from a shift in consumer preferences toward healthier food and away from processed products such as instant noodles and frozen pizza.
It also confirmed its commitment made in 2014 to reduce saturated fats by 10% in all relevant products that do not meet World Health Organization recommendations. “The trend toward healthier foods is to be observed worldwide,” Chief Executive Mark Schneider told journalists at a briefing in Vevey on Lake Geneva, where the company has its headquarters.
“We are putting a lot of resources into this,” Schneider said. Nestle spent 1.72bn Swiss francs on R&D last year. Food and drinks for children were a particular area of focus, Schneider said as he presented a “Nestle for Healthier Kids” campaign that also includes programs and online services to educate parents and carers on what children should eat.
