Sugar mouth

Alternatives, not taxes

Sir, Sugar is cheap, tasty and addictive, which is why so many companies cram it into their products. The reality of the sugar tax debate comes down to the fact that an extra 20p isn’t going to stop someone from purchasing a chocolate bar if that is what they want. Education and the availability of healthy alternatives may prevent consumers turning to sugary products. It’s the responsibility of the industry to provide genuinely healthy alternatives. It’s not about just reducing serving size or using sugar substitutes packed with other forms of sugar. Education is also key in helping to address this obesity epidemic. If people have the knowledge to make well informed decisions then it will force the slacking industry to change.

Damien Kennedy and Greg Duggan, founders of Wheyhey

Sugarwise step forward

Sir, As a company founded on the reduced sugar ethos, we are delighted that JimJams is the first brand to be certified under the new labelling scheme developed by Rend Platings (‘Tesco throws weight behind new sugar label developed by Cambridge mum,’ thegrocer.co.uk, 15 February). Much like Rend, we started making JimJams reduced sugar spreads because we were shocked at the amount of unnecessary sugar found in most breakfast spreads - we wanted something healthier for our children. When approached, we thought it was a fantastic idea, as there is nothing else like it out there - a universal symbol that cements the fact that the product is low in free sugars. The new Sugarwise label will be a huge step forward in the fight against sugar. Many consumers are still unclear when it comes to food labelling. With sugar quantities often listed in many different ways for different products, it can become confusing. The new Sugarwise symbol is the solution. Much like when you see the Vegan or Vegetarian Society symbols, consumers will be instantly reassured that the product they are buying has been certified as reduced sugar.

Kevin Bath, founder, JimJams

Juice that tells it like it is

Sir, I struggle to understand the never-ending ‘woe is us’ negativity fuelled by the ‘sugar stirrers’ who continue to cast a suffocating shadow over a besieged food & drink category.

Take our specialist subject - juices, just one of a number of influential food & drink arenas that has stagnated under the glare of the sugar spotlight in recent times. We’ve all always known that sugar’s prevalent in fruit and consequently juice. However, some of us may have forgotten that juice remains a vital daily source of essential vitamins and nutrients.

At Coldpress we’ve succeeded in sidestepping the ‘gloom-mongers’ and growing 100+% over the last year. Our success has been built around transparency.

Our responsibility is to help juice enthusiasts make informed decisions by pioneering new nutritional indices that clearly decipher the nutritional value per serve and calories in all our products.

Andrew Gibb, founder, Coldpress

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