Tate & Lyle Releases New Consumer Dietary Fibre Research Findings

Health conscious consumers want good-tasting fibre-rich products and they are ready to pay more! Tate & Lyle releases new consumer dietary fibre research findings.

03/02/09 New research released by Tate & Lyle has revealed that the explosion of consumer interest in Health and Wellness in recent years shows no sign of abating. Consistent with results from previous studies, 91 percent of the 4050 consumers surveyed consider themselves to be in good health, although more than before they believe they are overweight. As a result, 64 percent of consumers questioned said they had shown a greater interest in eating healthily over the past two years.

Consumers Want Healthy Food and Beverages

The increased interest in Health and Wellness was reflected in consumers’ views on labelling with a majority saying that they are reading labels when choosing foods and drinks to decide whether they are making a healthy choice. 72 percent of parents also claim to be paying more attention to the ingredients used in products for their children.

The findings also confirm a growing awareness of the importance of fibre. Most respondents are clearly looking for added benefits such as digestive health and weight management, while over two thirds of parents believe that fibre is an important part of their child’s diet.

Good Taste!

Commenting on the survey findings, Jerome Tauzin, Tate & Lyle’s Product Manager, Fibre, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “One way that companies can meet the demand for healthy products is by boosting fibre content in foods and beverages. Although 40 percent of respondents are still worried that higher fibre content could alter the taste of products, Tate & Lyle’s Dietary fibres range has been shown to provide products with great taste.”

“The really good news is that Tate & Lyle has shown that half of the European consumers surveyed are willing to pay more for a product with a fibre claim on-pack across all categories, from Baked Goods, to Dairy and Beverages. This is especially good since the study was conducted during a period when the economy was already under pressure”.

Tate & Lyle’s new consumer research provides important insight on how to communicate with consumers about higher fibre content products and highlights appealing label statements for consumers. “Consumers want simple, concise labels which clearly show a product’s health benefits, to make shopping decisions easier” explained Jerome Tauzin. “For instance, a claim about ’digestive health’ for beverages received top score in all countries”.

Tate & Lyle is working with its customers to provide products both with a higher fibre content and great taste and functionality. In September 2008, Tate & Lyle also announced its intention to open Europe’s first Polydextrose fibre production line in 2009, at the same time as it opened its new innovation centre in Lille, France.