Background

Irish food industry report on reformulation in products

Published: 03/02/2016

In 2016, Food Drink Ireland published a report which shows significant reductions in fat, saturated fat, sugar, salt and calories achieved through reformulation, of some of Ireland’s most popular foods and beverages.

The Reformulation Project report, compiled by leading analysts Creme Global, used data on 600 products from 14 of Ireland’s major food and drink companies. It was supported by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and launched by the Irish Minister for Health. It showed that during the seven years (2005 – 2012) covered by the research:

  • Salt content of the products analysed reduced by 37%
  • Sugar content fell by 14%
  • The amount of energy as measured in calories sold over the seven years to 2012 reduced by 12%.
  • Both total fat and saturated fat intake reduced by approximately 10%

This FDII report is the first of its kind in the world as never before has the impact of reformulation on the diet of an entire nation been analysed. The commitment of food and drink companies to change recipes and introduce new products has had a significant and positive impact on the diet of Irish consumers. The next phase in the FDII reformulation project is underway with participating companies providing reformulation data for the period 2013 to 2015.

Download the FDI reformulation report infographic

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