New Study Reveals Sugar in Some Chocolate Confectionery Products have Increased since 1992
- New study published in the journal Nutrients aimed to compare the sugar (1992, 2017) and energy (2017) content of chocolate confectionery available in the UK between 1992 and 2017.
- There were 23 products found in both 1992 and 2017. The average sugar content per 100 g for these products increased by 23%.
- The study suggests sugar levels can be reduced because (a) lower sugar versions of the same products existed in 1992 and (b) there is a large variation in sugar and energy content between different categories of chocolate and within the same category in 2017.
Table: Sugar content in popular chocolate confectionery in 1992 and 2017 per 100g
|
Product Name |
1992 Sugars (g) per 100g* |
2017 Sugars (g) per 100g |
|
Cadbury Bournville Classic Dark Chocolate |
55 |
57.5 |
|
Nestle Milkybar |
55.7 |
57.3 |
|
Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut |
32 |
54.5 |
|
Sainsbury's Milk Chocolate 100g (Milk Chocolate per 50g bar in 1992) |
22.9 |
53.6 |
|
Nestle Crunch |
50 |
51.5 |
|
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Swiss Milk Chocolate |
43 |
49.5 |
|
Cadbury Dairy Milk Whole Nut |
47 |
48 |
|
Sainsbury's Milk Chocolate Brazil Nuts |
32.7 |
41 |
|
Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons |
47 |
56 |
|
Cadbury Fudge |
50 |
65 |
|
Cadbury Flake Chocolate Bar |
47 |
55.5 |
|
Cadbury Wispa |
42 |
52 |
|
Cadbury Dairy Milk |
47 |
56 |
|
Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel |
42 |
53.5 |
|
Marks & Spencer Swiss Milk Chocolate |
43 |
50.2 |
|
Nestle Milkybar Buttons |
59 |
57.3 |
|
Fry's Chocolate Cream |
60 |
65.5 |
|
Cadbury Crunchie |
50 |
65 |
|
Fry's Turkish Delight |
38 |
64 |
|
Nestle Yorkie Raisin & Biscuit |
53 |
58 |
|
Cadbury Double Decker |
40 |
54 |
|
Cadbury Curly Wurly |
40 |
49 |
|
Cadbury Picnic |
30 |
45 |
* Octavo: A–Z of Shopping; Guide to Good Health. What’s in your shopping basket? (Unavailable online)
Registered Nutritionist Dr Kawther Hashem, Campaign Lead at Action on Sugar based at Queen Mary University of London says: “Excess sugar intake contributes to the high rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay in the UK. It is alarming that sugar levels have risen over time in some well-known chocolate confectionery products. Despite what companies say, clearly reformulation is possible because products were lower in sugar over two decades ago.”
