Sugar consumption has been falling on a per capita basis for years in advanced economy countries like Australia and the UK. But the rest of the world has been driving growth in global sugar consumption…until now. Sugar consumption is now falling in countries as diverse as Mexico, Thailand and Brazil. We investigate what’s going on, and what it means for sugar markets, food trends and your health. 

What Does Japan Consume So Little Sugar?

Author: Albert Mackenzie

Insight Focus

• Japan’s sugar consumption is extremely low for such a developed country. 
• Culinary traditions plus a health push are holding back growth for sugar and sweetener. 
• Slowing urbanisation and population growth rates are also hindering increases. 

Peru Tackles High Sugar Consumption With Taxes & Labelling 

Author: Stephanie Rodriguez

Insight Focus 

• Peruvian sugar consumption growth meagre in recent years. 
• Taxes, labelling nudge consumers toward low-sugar lifestyles. 
• Industrial consumers using alternative sweeteners more. 

Filipino Sugar Consumption Hit by Health Push 

Author: Albert Mackenzie

Insight Focus 

• The Philippines’ stagnating per capita consumption augurs badly for demand growth.
• The government’s health-focused measures seem to be driving the drop.
• An ageing population is also holding consumption back.

Are Chile’s Efforts to Decrease Sugar Consumption Working? 

Author: Stephanie Rodriguez

Insight Focus 

• Since 2016, Chile’s government has imposed taxes and labelling on products high in sugar and calories. 
• As a result, producers are reformulating their products and by substituting sugars with artificial sweeteners and discontinuing products. 
• This has resulted in changes in consumer preferences and decreases in overall sugar consumption. 

How High Can Indonesian Sugar Consumption Go? 

Author: Albert MacKenzie

Insight Focus 

• Indonesia’s sugar consumption has grown by 40% across the last 10 years.
• The global average had been only 9% in this period.
• Many of the factors that have driven this growth could still do so, but how high can it go?

Is the New Italian Favouring Sugar Consumption? 

Author: Sara Warden

Insight Focus 

• The Italian diet has long been touted as one of the healthiest in the world, but this is starting to change.
• Italy’s obese and overweight population is growing.
• Here, we explore how the diet has changed over the last 40 years and consider the potential drivers.

Is Chinese Sugar Consumption in the Hands of its Rural Residents? 

Author: Rosa Li

Insight Focus 

• China’s government is placing heavy emphasis on reducing sugar consumption.
• Producers are also growing fonder of sugar substitutes.
• Despite this, we still think China’s sugar consumption could hit 20m tonnes within the next decade.

Click here to read the full article.  

Where Next for Indian Sugar Consumption?  

Author: Sara Warden 

Insight Focus

• India is the world’s largest sugar consumer.
• However, per capita sugar consumption is low by global standards.
• Per capita sugar consumption is now also falling; we find out why.

Click here to read the full article. 

Why Are Brazilians Consuming Less Sugar? 

Author: Juliana Shao 

Insight Focus

• Brazilian sugar consumption has been falling for almost a decade.
• This is probably due to increased consumer awareness of sugar intake.
• What happens in Brazil is important for the wider sugar market; Brazil is the world’s largest sugarcane grower.

Click here to read the full article.

Thai Sugar Consumption…Has it Peaked? 

Author: Sara Warden 

Insight Focus 

• We think Thai sugar consumption could have peaked.
• There’s been a substantial negative impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, but this is not the whole story.
• As Thailand’s Excise Ministry pushes back the sugar tax increase scheduled for next month, we examine how consumption has changed.  

Click here to read the full article.

The Mexican Sugar Decline: Taxes, COVID or Something Else? 

Author: Sara Warden 

Insight Focus 

• Mexican sugar consumption dropped in 2020 to its lowest level since 2014.
• The sales value of soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages dropped before COVID hit Mexico.
• The drop in demand therefore can’t be solely attributed to COVID; there are more factors at play here.

Click here to read the full article.  

Coming Soon…

Italian Sugar Consumption  

Indonesian Sugar Consumption 

Japanese Sugar Consumption