 "At least 74% of urban households eat sweets 3 or more times a month: Survey")
As India's love for sweets remains intact, changing lifestyles and increasing health awareness habits are now reshaping the nation's sugar consumption habits. A LocalCircles survey recently revealed that 74 per cent of urban households continue to consume traditional sweets at least three times a month. However, growing preference for low-sugar and alternative ingredients, such as jaggery, honey, and dry fruits, is gradually redefining the nation’s festive indulgence.
According to the survey, only five per cent of people in the urban Indian households said that they did not consume traditional sweets. Whereas, 26 per cent of respondents claimed that they consumed traditional sweets 15-20 times in a month, and another 21 per cent said that they consumed them at least eight to 15 times in a month.
The percentage of consumption of traditional sweets at least three times a month has recorded a jump of over 40 per cent in the last 18 months. India's sugar consumption soars, especially during Diwali, the survey noted.
The survey, which recorded responses from 84,000 respondents, aimed to understand if there had been any changes in India's sugar consumption patterns and whether there had been any shift from demand for traditional sweets to other products containing sugar.
Increase in consumption of sweets, confectionery items
With the wide range of sweets, confectionery, and bakery items now available readily, the survey showed that 79 per cent of respondents consumed products like cakes, biscuits, chocolates, icecreams, shakes, and candies at least three times or more in a month. Of this 79 per cent, 11 per cent consume these items every day, whereas 27 per cent indicated that they consume these items at least 15-20 times in a month.
When compared with last year's survey, a 40 per cent jump has been recorded in the consumption of sweets and confectionery items in the last 18 months. However, the percentage of those consuming it every day has come down from 18 per cent to 11 per cent, whereas those consuming it at least 15 to 20 times a month have gone up significantly from four to 27 per cent this year.
More households eye low-sugar alternatives
As the health awareness related to food consumption increases, people have raised concerns about the sugar that they consume. According to the survey, 70 of urban Indian households are now considering opting for alternatives that are made with 30 per cent less sugar. Of the 70 per cent, 40 per cent indicated that they would definitely switch, whereas another 30 per cent indicated a high likelihood of switching to lower sugar alternatives to satisfy their sweet cravings. However, only four per cent of the total respondents said that there is no chance of them switching to a lower sugar alternative.
Sugar addiction common in Indian homes
The survey also indicated that 43 per cent of respondents claimed that the majority of members of their households are addicted to sugar or sugary products. Of which, 13 per cent responded "all of us", whereas nine per cent said "75-99 per cent of us". Of the total 20,138 respondents, only 26 per cent claimed that none of their family members are addicted to sugar or sugary products.
Should brands consider offering lower sugar alternatives?
As India's sugar consumption continues to rise, which is one of the largest sugar producers and largest consuming nations in the world, there seems to be limited awareness regarding the consumption of foods that are high in seed oils and sugar. These food items can cause diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
With less awareness and rising cases, does the onus of helping in curtailing excess sugar consumption fall on brands?