It's time to stand up for juice

Sugar is being treated as public enemy number one, and the juice category is feeling the impact: two weeks ago The Grocer reported juices and smoothies lost almost £76m in sales in 2015. This was a year in which all sugars - be they naturally occurring or added - were attacked in the ‘war on sugar’, much to the detriment of the juice category. Today, consumers are confused about sugar, questioning whether juice is a healthy option or not.

But the rate of decline in the juices and smoothies category has more than halved in the past year, suggesting the tide could be turning. At Tropicana we’ve been looking at how we can build on this and help people understand the facts about juice and make informed decisions. Some suggest ‘healthier’ juice NPD could help grow the category. That plays a part, but it’s not enough.

Like many other categories, we need to regain consumer trust to return to growth. To do that, we need to stand up for juice and remind people of the goodness it brings. It is no wonder people are confused. We’ve been bombarded with claims fruit juice can be ‘unhealthy’, with conflicting and misleading advice pervading the media, focusing on sugar content and ignoring the positive nutrition juice provides.

Negative media stories, at times, are based on the assumption that people are consuming too much juice. In reality, according to Kantar data, the average UK consumer only drinks about three glasses of juice per week, so there’s plenty of opportunity to help more people get on their way to 5 a day by encouraging a small glass as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

A small glass of juice serves as a convenient and easy way for people to get valuable vitamins, minerals and one of your 5 a day, important when less than a third of adults and less than 10% of children in the UK are consuming the minimum recommended five daily servings of fruit & veg.

We know that having whole fruit or vegetables is the ideal way to get the nutrition we need - but it’s not always convenient to do so. As food and drink manufacturers, it is our responsibility to help people make informed choices about what they eat and drink to help them easily get the nutrition they need.

When it comes to juice it’s helpful to demonstrate appropriate portion sizes. It’s what people are looking for and is central to building consumer trust. We’re doing just that with Tropicana. This week we are launching an above the line campaign encouraging people to have a glass (about 150ml) of fruit juice each day, as part of their 5 a day.

People are thinking and talking about juice. They’re telling us they don’t know what the right portion size is and are questioning if they should drink it at all. We - government, suppliers and retailers - need to work together to remind people of the facts about juice. We need to stop giving people mixed messages.

If we can help people understand sugar and other nutrients in the context of total diet and enable them to make informed decisions about the right balance for their dietary needs and lifestyle, we can grow the juice category sustainably.

Marina Edwards is senior director at Tropicana