THE LATEST i2s BRIEF:
INSIGHTS TO SWEETEN STEVIA’S CONSUMER APPEAL
Stevia sweeteners can enable the reduced-sugar and sugar-free claims consumers want while delivering the sweetness they love. But what do shoppers really think when they see this naturally derived, zero-calorie sweetener on product labels? Discover new research into consumer perceptions of stevia to help you position your reduced-sugar products for success.
In May 2018, Ingredion surveyed 884 adults in the U.S. and Canada who have primary or shared grocery shopping responsibility for their households to better understand these consumers’ perceptions of stevia sweeteners. The findings were used to bring you this i2s brief. Unless otherwise noted, all data and consumer quotations in this brief come from Ingredion proprietary research conducted in May 2018.
In May 2018, Ingredion surveyed 884 adults in the U.S. and Canada who have primary or shared grocery shopping responsibility for their households to better understand these consumers’ perceptions of stevia sweeteners. The findings were used to bring you this i2s brief. Unless otherwise noted, all data and consumer quotations in this brief come from Ingredion proprietary research conducted in May 2018.
WHAT CONSUMERS REALLY THINK ABOUT STEVIA
A SWEETENER CONSUMERS RECOGNIZE
Consumer familiarity with sweeteners
Many shoppers check the labels on their favorite treats, both to help them monitor their sugar intakes and to see what sweetener is used.1 For more than half of consumers, the type of sweetener influences their purchase decisions, and recognizing that sweetener is key.
78% of consumers in the U.S. and Canada find it important to recognize the ingredients used in the products they buy.
CANE SUGAR93%
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP87%
MONK FRUIT30%
ASPARTAME79%
SUCRALOSE55%
STEVIA81%
“Common name, and
actual name.”
“‘Stevia’ I recognize. The other sounds like
a chemical, so I don’t like it.”
“I know stevia as ‘stevia.’”
WHAT CONSUMERS THINK ABOUT STEVIA
Consumer perception of stevia
74%CONTAINS
LOW OR NO CALORIES
60%ALL
NATURAL
55%A PURE
SWEETENER
53%MADE USING
NATURAL PROCESSES
51%HEALTHIER
THAN REGULAR SUGAR
A MORE RECOGNIZED NAME
When asked how stevia should appear on an ingredient label, more consumers picked “stevia” or “stevia leaf” over “steviol glycosides.”
Why respondents prefer “stevia”:
“[‘Stevia’] is the most terse and familiar.”
The vast majority of consumers are aware of stevia, and most recognize it as a low-calorie replacement for sugar. “Naturalness” and purity were also top perceptions among consumers, indicating stevia’s potential to appeal to consumers who want naturally derived ingredients.
Most Naturelles believe stevia is “natural,” a key purchase driver for this group. To add even more appeal for these consumers, manufacturers could formulate their stevia-sweetened products to support the non-GMO claims that these consumers are also shopping for.
Balancers have a generally positive view of stevia, though a significant number believe it is an artificial sweetener and therefore may be less likely to purchase stevia-sweetened products. Emphasizing plant-based claims on packages could help manufacturers better appeal to these consumers, who are looking to reduce their use of both sugar and artificial sweeteners.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONSUMERS, DIFFERENT TAKES ON STEVIA Ingredion previously identified five types of consumers based on their attitudes toward sugar and sweeteners.2 All five consumer segments are generally aware of stevia and have a positive impression of the sweetener — especially the segments already focused on cutting back on sugar or selecting products made with more “natural” ingredients.
NATURELLES (24% OF CONSUMERS SURVEYED)Naturelles read labels carefully to avoid any artificial ingredients. They prefer minimally processed foods and beverages, look for non-GMO package claims and consume only naturally derived sugars and sweeteners. They are also early adopters of “natural” products and ingredients, and they like to spread the word about new finds.
NUTRITION FACTS ARE A KEY DRIVER OF BALANCERS’ PURCHASING DECISIONS.
BALANCERS (21% OF CONSUMERS SURVEYED)Balancers like to take control of their health by choosing inherently nutritious foods and beverages. They look at labels holistically rather than counting every calorie or examining every ingredient, though they do try to limit their sugar intakes and, to a lesser extent, their use of artificial sweeteners.
92%
77%
70%
of Naturelles are familiar with stevia (more than any other consumer segment)
of Balancers indicate stevia is a low- or no-calorie sweetener
of Naturelles say stevia is “all natural”
Most Sugar-Frees perceive stevia as “natural,” though these consumers generally aren’t trying to avoid artificial ingredients. This group is more focused on stevia’s sugar reduction capabilities, and already perceives stevia as an ingredient that can help them meet their health and wellness goals.
SUGAR-FREES (13% OF CONSUMERS SURVEYED)Mainly consumers trying to lose weight or manage a medical condition like diabetes, Sugar-Frees want to consume as little sugar as possible. They frequently use sugar substitutes, including both naturally derived and artificial sweeteners.
SUGAR-FREES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO USE HIGH INTENSITY SWEETENERS.
CAREFREES (21% OF CONSUMERS SURVEYED)The segment least concerned with healthy eating, Carefrees frequently consume sugary foods and beverages. Primarily driven by taste, they do not closely monitor nutrition information or ingredients.
SWEET TOOTHS (21% OF CONSUMERS SURVEYED)For Sweet Tooths, cravings for sugary treats often outweigh their desire to cut back on sugar. Consumers in this group make sporadic efforts to limit their sugar intakes, but in general they don’t read labels closely or monitor ingredients.
78% 7O%
65%
of Sugar-Frees recognize stevia as a low- or no-calorie sweetener
of Sugar-Frees say stevia is “all natural”
of Sugar-Frees perceive stevia as healthy, more than any other consumer segment
Because stevia is well known and generally accepted by consumers across segments, it is a sweetener that can satisfy consumers who are most concerned with reducing sugar in their diets without alienating the less health-conscious consumers, Sweet Tooths and Carefrees.
“Bestevia” is a trademark held by SweeGen permitted to be used by Ingredion for distribution purposes.
The INGREDION, INGREDION IDEA LABS, DIAL-IN and ENLITEN marks and logos are trademarks of the Ingredion group of companies. All rights reserved. All contents copyright © 2019.
REDUCE SUGAR WITH THE SWEETENER CONSUMERS WANTCreate reduced-sugar foods and beverages that find a place in more shopping carts with stevia innovation from Ingredion. Our portfolio of stevia solutions can help you lower your products’ sugar content while enabling consumer-friendly labels and front-of-package claims — all without compromising your products’ sweet appeal.
• Achieve higher levels of sugar reduction while delivering a pure, clean sweetness with BESTEVIA® Reb M stevia leaf sweetener. This 95% pure stevia solution imparts significantly less bitterness and aftertaste than conventional stevia,3 enabling up to 100% sugar reduction. With labeling options including the consumer-preferred “stevia Reb M,” you’ll be able to make your reduced-sugar beverages, bakery, dairy and other products even more enticing.
• Find the just-right stevia solution for your product and budget with ENLITEN® Fusion stevia sweeteners. Each of these solutions combines steviol glycosides to deliver optimal sweetness to your application at an optimized cost, helping you reduce up to 100% of the sugar in your consumers’ favorite products.
• Create great-tasting reduced-sugar products with ENLITEN® Reb A stevia sweeteners. This suite of solutions delivers consistently clean-tasting sweetness to help you cost-effectively lower sugar content by up to 50% across a range of applications.
ingredion.us/stevia 1-800-713-0208
Ingredion Incorporated5 Westbrook Corporate CenterWestchester, IL 60154
SOURCES 1. Mintel Sugar and Sweeteners – U.S., December 2016
2. Natural Marketing Institute – Ingredion proprietary study, 2015
3. Ingredion Global Sensory Trained Panel
• Replace sugar without sacrificing eating experience with Ingredion’s broad portfolio of sugar reduction formulation solutions. Build back bulk and improve texture with our range of polyols, starches, prebiotic fibers, gums and more to create low-sugar products that satisfy like their full-sugar counterparts.
Work with Ingredion to reach your sugar reduction goals and formulate winning foods and beverages. Experts at our 28 global Ingredion Idea Labs® innovation centers, supported by our expanding portfolio of stevia solutions and DIAL-IN® Sweetness and Texture Technology, can help you understand consumer preferences, overcome formulation challenges and leverage our sugar reduction solutions to get your products to market fast.
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