The Consumer Goods Forum has unveiled data that indicates that over 180,000 consumer goods products have been reformulated in 2016, while over 30,000 communities worldwide have been involved in industry-led programmes to promote healthier diets and lifestyles.
The findings were revealed in the CGF Health & Wellness Progress Report, developed in conjunction with Deloitte, which found that CGF members are increasingly working together on initiatives to improve health awareness among consumers.
Some 75% of members said that they have reformulated products in the past year in order to make them healthier, with sodium and sugar the most targeted areas of focus. Whole grains and vitamins were found to be the most added ingredients to food products that underwent reformulation.
In the personal care and hygiene sectors, the removal of parabens was the number one target in reformulation.
Nestlé's Paul Bulcke and Ahold Delhaize's Dick Boer, who together are co-sponsors for the CGF's Health & Wellness Pillar, said, “We recognise that CGF members are making visible efforts to improve the health and wellness of people around the world. That said, this is an ongoing journey and we strongly encourage all companies to join the collective effort.
"The CGF Board of Directors has long recognised how critical health and wellness are to the stability and prosperity of nations. We have made it one of our priorities so that we can lead positive action for the benefit of those we serve every day, everywhere”.
The study also found that 93% of member companies said that a 'strong majority' of their employees are eligible for employee health and wellness programmes, while 44% said they were consulted by national and/or regional governments on the issue of improving health and wellness.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
