Peas, pizzas, rusks… these cheap supermarket brands have too much sugar, according to Foodwatch

The cheapest products are the sweetest. The new survey by the consumer association Foodwatch is clear. No distributor is spared from this observation: E.Leclerc, Auchan, Carrefour, Intermarché or Super U. Foodwatch analyzed the composition of 463 references sold in the five main supermarket brands, in 12 food categories, and compared the quantity of sugar depending on the price.

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Added sugar and too much sugar

First observation: 85% of the products analyzed contain added sugar. Not only sweet products but also savory products. This is the case for 100% of sandwiches with white bread, 89% of frozen pizzas, 87% of cordon bleu, 86% of mayonnaise, 77% of canned peas.

Second observation, the highest sugar content is in the cheapest products while the most expensive products are less sweet. You will be more likely to buy a sweeter product if you opt for one of the less expensive products. In the mayonnaise section, the five least expensive products contain on average 417% more sugar than the five least expensive (3.44 g of sugar per 100 g of product compared to 0.67 g for the 5 most expensive mayonnaises). It is 43% for peas (3.88 g versus 2.72 g), 30% for cordon bleu (1.8 g versus 1.38 g), 24% for rusks 7.24 g versus 5 .84 g).

The dual responsibility of distributors

As Foodwatch points out, this observation cannot be generalized but it highlights a worrying trend. As manufacturers of their private label (private label) products, distributors validate the composition and quality of their products. As distributors, they decide the price of the products sold on their shelves.

However, it is known that excess sugar increases the risk of dental caries, overweight and obesity, but also type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Foodwatch has launched a petition to call on major retailers to take action for our health.