Second observation: it is among the cheapest products that we find on average the sweetest. Conversely, the most expensive products contain less sugar on average. “In short: if you want to avoid or at least reduce added sugars in your diet, you will have to take more money out of your wallet. For Foodwatch, this massive use of sugar is unacceptable and the organization wants to call on large retailers to modify the recipes of these foods.
Sugar, the great enemy of our hearts: we consume 50 times more of it than in the 18th century and it’s a huge problem
In certain food categories, the sweetest products are over-represented among the cheapest products. “Likewise, the least sweet products are more numerous among the most expensive products. In other words, in the guacamole, cordon bleu, coated peanuts, peas or even mayonnaise aisles, you would be more likely to buy a sweeter product if you turned to one of the less expensive products. ; conversely, you would be more likely to buy a less sweet product if you could afford to choose one of the more expensive products.“
The least well-off people therefore do not have access to the best food. “The conclusions of the Foodwatch survey are clear: not only is the food offer too sweet, but if your budget is tight, you will not be able to make the best choice for your health. Manufacturers and mass retailers bear responsibility for this biased and discriminatory offer and its consequences. concludes Audrey Morice Campaign Manager Foodwatch France.
We too easily eat 100 grams of sugar per day, four times more than the recommended dose!
The association also denounces the campaigns of distributors, who have made the price argument their credo, at the expense of healthier food. “In supermarkets, the most affordable choice should not be the least healthy choice. Brands must stop fueling this unfair and unbearable two-speed market which favors the health of those who have the means to the detriment of others: distributor brands must review their copy and improve their recipes in order to no longer be bad students, particularly with regard to the presence of added sugars in their products.”
Sugar prices jumped 61% in one year in the EU; the lower increase in Belgium
