According to a new report by Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and the National Confectioners Association (NCA), America’s chocolate and candy companies are providing more transparency, choice, and portion guidance options for consumers.
The report found that leading chocolate and candy companies – Mars Wrigley, Ferrero, Ferrara Candy Co., Lindt, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and Russell Stover Chocolates – exceeded the metrics associated with their five-year commitment through PHA to voluntarily increase the percentage of portion guidance options in their collective product portfolio and increase the percentage of their products that carry front-of-pack calorie labels.
Some of the report's key findings include:
- Half of the individually wrapped products made by the participating companies are now available in sizes that contain 200 calories or less per pack. This is up from 38.3% in the 2016 benchmark year.
- 94.8% of confectionery products have front-of-pack calorie labels, which is up from 53.7% in the 2016 benchmark year. This number is even higher at retail checkout: 98% of chocolate and candy packaging found at the front of the store have calorie labels printed on the front of the pack.
“The results of this commitment show that companies have the opportunity to impact change while still maintaining their business models and keeping consumers front and center,” said Nancy E. Roman, president and CEO of PHA. “We applaud these companies for stepping up and helping consumers manage their sugar intake through innovation, transparency, and education.”
In 2017, Mars Wrigley, Ferrero, Ferrara Candy Co., Lindt, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and Russell Stover Chocolates joined forces in a landmark commitment to PHA. These companies set an ambitious goal to provide more transparency, create more portion guidance options in innovative packaging, and educate consumers about how unique products like chocolate and candy can be an occasional treat in a balanced lifestyle. The 2017 commitment outlined that by 2022:
- Half of the individually wrapped products made by the participating companies would be available in sizes that contain 200 calories or less per pack
- 90% of the best-selling treats made by these companies would have calorie information printed on the front of the pack
- AlwaysATreat.com would evolve into a digital resource full of easy-to-use information for consumers to better understand the unique role that confections play in a happy, balanced lifestyle
“The scale of these major global competitors and their ability to collaborate and drive meaningful change related to offering more transparency, portion guidance options, and educational tools for consumers seeking to manage their sugar intake is unmatched,” said John Downs, president & CEO of the NCA. “We are proud of the results of our commitment to PHA, and our industry is continuing to focus on innovation in packaging and products to meet our consumers and retail partners’ needs and desires for great-tasting treats.”
As with all of PHA’s partners, each of the commitment elements have been verified by a third party and are publicly reported in PHA’s annual progress report. This commitment was monitored and reported by verifiers with Georgetown University.
