From 2019 Cadbury Dairy Milk will be available in a new bar with 30% less sugar, which will sit alongside the standard bar on shelves.

For almost two years, a team of 20 scientists, nutritionists and chocolatiers at Mondelēz International’s Reading and Bournville research and development facilities have been working to find a way to achieve the Cadbury Dairy Milk taste, while delivering 30% less sugar with no artificial sweeteners, colours or preservatives and no increase in calories.

If successful with consumers, Mondelēz International will look to apply the approach to other Cadbury Dairy Milk products.

The new Cadbury Dairy Milk variant is one of a number of lower-sugar innovations planned for the UK market over the next two years as part of Mondelēz International’s strategy to increase well-being choices across its portfolio.

Glenn Caton, president, Northern Europe, Mondelēz International, commented: “Our brands have been around for hundreds of years. They are a part of British culture and heritage and play a special role in people’s lives as treats to be enjoyed during a moment of indulgence.

“We are working hard to remind people of this; to help them make informed choices by providing clear nutritional information and labelling, as well providing more choice by expanding our portion control offerings and improving the nutritional profile of our brands. We believe this strategy is working, with people for example eating less chocolate today than five years ago.

“Our approach to health will always be led by both the consumer and by scientific evidence, which is why we won’t reduce sugar at the expense of increasing calories. But we recognise that people want to manage their sugar intake and that’s why we have worked tirelessly to create a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar with 30% less sugar as part of our wider sugar-reduction plans.

“Taking sugar out of our products isn’t easy and will take time. Ultimately they are treats and people expect them to taste great, but we’re working hard to find innovative solutions that provide more choice without compromising on their world-renowned taste and quality.”

As well as reformulating brands, Mondelēz International is also offering portion control options. It is planning to launch Cadbury Dairy Milk Perfect Pieces, a 19g individually wrapped portion of chocolate which is less than 100 calories and is a size to satisfy those looking for a small chocolate treat.

Topics