Pladis, the company behind McVitie’s and more, has pledged to double the volume of products it sells with lower levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat, and those with higher levels of nutrients such as fibre and protein, by 2030.
It said it would achieve the target by improving existing recipes without compromising taste, launching new products and expanding successful ranges into more markets.
The move comes as consumers increasingly seek snacks that fit their lifestyle and wellbeing goals without sacrificing taste and enjoyment.
Dr Jennifer Moss, chief R&D officer at Pladis, said: “People don’t buy biscuits and chocolate because they’re looking for a lecture on nutrition - they buy them because they enjoy them. Great taste will always come first.
“What’s changing is that consumers increasingly want more choice. They want products that fit their lifestyles and wellbeing goals, but they still expect the same great taste.
“We believe the brands that succeed in the future will be the ones that can deliver both. That’s why we’re committed to giving consumers more options while continuing to provide the enjoyment that has always been at the heart of our brands.”
To support the target, Pladis has developed a new global nutrition framework that will guide how products are developed, reformulated and marketed across its portfolio. Built by the company’s scientists, the framework draws on internationally recognised nutrition systems, including France’s Nutri-Score, Australia’s Health Star Rating and the UK’s Nutrient Profile Model (HFSS).
Today, products identified by the framework as offering a better nutritional balance account for around 10% of Pladis’ sales volume. The company has set an ambition to double that volume by 2030.
The framework is applied across all products and takes a balanced view of nutrition. It assesses both the nutrients consumers are encouraged to have more of, such as fibre and protein, and those many are looking to reduce, including salt, sugar and saturated fat. The company has already removed 676 tonnes of sugar from recipes in the UK - the equivalent of around 169m teaspoons, it said.
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