Today’s beverage landscape is all about offering healthier options, and sugar reduction sits at the top of brands’ to-do lists. Health experts and governments have been pushing for lower sugar – WHO recommends free sugars be under 10% of calories, and even tighter (≤5%) if possible. At the same time, consumption is still high: the CDC notes that added sugar intake “exceeds national recommendations” and that sweetened drinks are the #1 source of added sugars for kids and adults (CDC). Consumers know this: surveys show the majority now scan labels for sugar content and list sugar as the top ingredient they are most conscious of limiting in their diet (Innova Market Insights). And brands are listening: globally, new products launched with reduced, low, or no sugar added claims have seen a 5.8% CAGR in the past five years (Innova Market Insights).

Consumer & Regulatory Pressures Driving Reformulation

Aside from public health advice, shoppers themselves demand it. Recent reports find a significant proportion of consumers prioritize “low-sugar” or “no-added-sugar” products when buying drinks (Globe Newswire). At the same time, regulatory bodies are gearing up. In the U.S., manufacturers must list “added sugars” on Nutrition Facts labels, and experts in 2023 discussed new sugar taxes and voluntary reduction targets for beverages (Covington & Burling). Globally, over 100 countries now have some sweetened-drink tax or labeling rule in place, and networks like the EU’s “Sugar and Calorie Reduction” initiative are pressuring brands to lower sugar in recipes (Food Navigator, Globe Newswire). In practice, beverage firms see governments pushing for change: they’re investing in R&D now to stay ahead of any new laws, and to meet growing demand from “health-first” consumers (Globe Newswire, Covington & Burling).

Formulation Challenges: More Than Just a Sweet Swap

Removing sugar might sound straightforward, but formulators know sugar does a lot beyond sweetness. It enhances flavor, balances acids and bitterness, and gives body and viscosity to a drink. Take out the sugar, and a soda or juice can end up tasting flat and thin, with lingering bitter or metallic notes from alternative sweeteners. In many cases, replacing sugar isn’t a 1:1 trade – high-intensity natural sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit often come with off-notes that need masking.

However, some consumers are simply looking for great tasting, low calorie products without the intense sweetness. According to Innova Market Insights, 62% of consumers globally say, “I would rather cut back on sugar than use alternative sweeteners to sugar” and 22% state that food and beverage products low in “unhealthy” ingredients (i.e. sugar, salt, fat) are most important in a healthy food or beverage item.

Whether combating off-notes or looking to make a low/no sugar product just taste really great, flavors can make the taste impact consumers are seeking, without the extra sugar.

Best Practices for Developers

Whether you’re launching a new reduced-sugar soda or tweaking an existing juice, there are some practical pointers to keep in mind from Synergy’s team of flavor experts:

• Blend Sweeteners Thoughtfully. Rarely does one sweetener do it all. Combining high-intensity sweetener (stevia, monk fruit or sucralose) and bulking agents (erythritol or allulose) is often effective. Blending can smooth out peaks in sweetness and reduce aftertaste to better mimic a sugar-like sweetness profile.
• Use Flavors and Maskers. Work with flavor experts to create a custom taste solution to provide the desired profile you are looking for. Using flavors and maskers can improve the overall experience of the final product by either rounding out the overall profile, building back notes that may be lacking or reducing strong off notes that occur as a result of the sugar reduction . Flavor can also be used to enhance the mouthfeel of the beverage, which can be lost when reducing sugar.
• Iterate with Sensory and Benchmarks. Always taste-test iteratively against a sugar-sweetened control. Sensory teams can pinpoint if something tastes “off” (unbalanced flavor, mouthfeel issues, lingering aftertaste) to guide modifications and provide feedback early and often. Patience is key: rewriting the formula may take several rounds to hit the sweet spot.
• Keep It Real for Consumers. Labels matter. Decide on the right claim (no added sugar, reduced sugar, sugar-free) based on your formulation. If you use high-intensity sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit, allulose, sucralose etc.) they will need to be called out on the product label. Be aware that many shoppers want “natural” solution: cane sugar is still the most widely accepted sweetener – consumers just want less of it (Innova Database).

Innovation is rapid and understanding consumer expectations is the first step – choosing the right partner to help you meet those expectations is the next. Synergy’s team of flavor, sensory and consumer insight experts can ensure you deliver the great taste consumers love with a lot less sugar.

Ready to reformulate with less sugar and more flavor? Contact us for your next innovation project.

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