Reformulation is rife in F&B but consumers aren't sold yet

Reformulation is the word of the moment in the world of food and beverage. It’s everywhere. From Unilever changing-up Ben & Jerry’s​ vegan ice cream to Nestlé prioritising sugar reduction​ across its portfolio, reformulation is on the agenda of every major manufacturer.

In fact, just this week, food and beverage giant, PepsiCo, announced the reformulation of one of its flagship brands, Doritos. The US multinational said in the statement that, in addition to making its famous crisp 'crunchier', it was also cutting salt by 24% and fat by 15%, making it HFSS compliant.

“Manufacturers are constantly reformulating their products, whether it be small adjustments to the recipes to improve taste or texture, alterations due to supplier changes or to improve the nutritional quality of the product,” Zoe Davies, a nutritionist for NGO Action on Salt, told FoodNavigator.

And the service sector is even getting in on the act, with KFC reformulating its big ticket items​ to cut fat, salt and sugar.

And while there are a variety of reasons for brands to reformulate their products, including the rising cost of commodities​ such as sugar, the primary reason is HFSS compliance​.

“Food reformulation can contribute to ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all,” said a spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO).

And, it seems, industry is listening and embracing the change.

“Regulators are encouraging brands to reformulate products to make them healthier through nutritional labelling schemes, including non-HFSS and Nutri-Score,” Lin Peterse, category development manager for Tate & Lyle, told FoodNavigator.

Furthermore, industry advocates are supporting and encouraging brands in reformulating to reduce levels of fat, salt and sugar.

“Food and drink manufacturers recognise the important role we can play in providing healthier options for consumers, whether by adapting the recipes of favourite brands or launching new products with fewer calories, sugar or salt or by adding more fibre, fruit and vegetables,” a spokesperson for the Food and Drink Federation told FoodNavigator.

But while much of the food and beverage industry is embracing the move towards foods and beverages that are lower in fat, salt and sugar, many consumers are less enthusiastic. Why?

Why are consumers slow to embrace reformulation?​

While consumers aren’t universally against reformulation, it appears many are slow to accept it. This is based on the perception that the reduction certain ingredients, such as salt and sugar, will also result in a reduction in taste.

“Communication focusing on the reduction of nutrients of concern, risks a false perception that a product is ‘less than’ its original formulation, with less appealing taste and texture,” says Action on Salt’s Davies.

This perception is exacerbated by the fact brands are failing to successfully communicate the positive reasons for reformulation to all consumers.

“Health-conscious consumers generally welcome reformulation aimed at reducing sugar, salt, or calories, however the benefits of reformulation need to reach not just the health-conscious,” says Davies. “Effective communication can make all the difference in whether it’s embraced or rejected.”

So, how can industry improve communication with consumers? The answer, highlight the benefits of reformulation, not the negatives.

“When communicating product reformulation, brands should focus on positive messaging to ensure a smooth transition and maintain customer loyalty,” says Davies. “A focus on increased vegetable content, fibre or taste is to be more favourable than placing the attention on reduction.”

Another approach, already favoured by some manufacturers, is ‘health by stealth’. This is the act of slowly reformulating a product to reduce fat, salt or sugar, without communicating the change to the consumer. When executed successfully, the changes are so small and implemented over such a long period of time that the customer doesn’t notice.

 “A health by stealth approach, when it comes to reformulation, is by far more effective,” says Davies. “By reformulating products gradually, consumers taste buds adapt without noticing a change in taste. This way, people can continue to buy the foods they enjoy without having to make substantial behavioural changes.”

A successful example of this is Yoplait’s recent move towards sugar reduction in its children’s yoghurts. The brand has deliberately slowed the process of reduction, in order to help consumers adjust to the changing flavour without switching to sweeter products.

“It’s possible that an unintended consequence of the past decade’s sugar reduction policies could be encouraging children to dump healthy yoghurts for junk food,” says Ewa Moxham, head of marketing at Yoplait UK.

PepsiCo clearly understood the brief when announcing Doritos' reformulation, putting out a high-energy statement to excite fans, rather than scare them away.

“Our teams have spent years mastering the art of cooking up delicious tortilla chips and this recipe is the culmination of all their hard work to perfect the trademark Doritos crunch," said Robert Lowery, R&D senior director for UK Foods at PepsiCo. "Having received the seal of approval in consumer testing from some of Doritos most loyal fans as well as our expert panel of ‘supertasters’, we can’t wait for these Doritos to land on shelves.”

But not everyone is against reformulation for HFSS compliance. The tide is slowly turning, leading to increasing numbers recognising the advantages.

“There is a growing openness and public support for reformulation, particularly when it aims to make foods healthier,” says Action on Salt's Davies.

And, if executed successfully, this could even grow consumer trust and win brands new customers.

“Brands can’t ignore the opportunity to build brand value and enhance their reputation among consumers by improving the nutritional profile of their products,” says Tate & Lyle’s Peterse. “But it’s not just about reputation, there’s a clear commercial opportunity too, because tasty food and beverages with reduced sugar and calories can help to drive trust and brand loyalty, resulting in sales growth.”