The diet foods market as covered in this Market Assessment report encompasses several distinct sectors.
These have followed different growth paths.
The old established low-calorie foods and drinks sector declined during the short-term rise in popularity of low-carbohydrate foods and drinks; however, both sectors have now been overshadowed by the growing interest in foods or drinks with low-Glycaemic-Index (GI) ratings, and by continued market growth in the wide variety of low-fat and reduced-sugar products on offer.
The low-fat and reduced-sugar foods and drinks sector dominates the diet foods market as defined in this report.Unilever's market-leading range of Slim.Fast low-calorie foods and drinks has been affected by the growth, and subsequent decline, of Atkins Nutritionals' and other suppliers' low-carbohydrate foods and drinks during 2004 and early 2005.
Unilever is now continuing to support Slim.Fast, but — like Nestlé, Heinz, Atkins and others — is reducing its range of and support for low-carbohydrate products.The very sizeable low-fat and reduced-sugar foods and drinks sector has become an area of major interest to manufacturers, and one of significant new product development (NPD).
In part, this has been the result of government-led pressure for the UK population — particularly children — to consume less saturated fat, sugar and salt in their diets, in an attempt to halt the rapid increase in the numbers of overweight and obese persons.Low-fat or reduced-sugar variants are now available within virtually all the sectors of the food and drink market, with total sales estimated to have grown by 3.8% in value in 2006 — the same annual growth rate as in 2005.
However, the low-fat and reduced-sugar foods and drinks sector is forecast to increase at a slowing growth rate over the next 5 years (to 2011).Sales of semi-skimmed and skimmed milks (excluding soya milk) account for half of the low-fat and reduced-sugar foods and drinks sector, in value terms.
Other dairy products apart from milk represent nearly a quarter of the total value of the low-fat and reduced-sugar sector.
This is principally attributable to low-fat yoghurts and chilled desserts, and to cheeses.The bakery products segment holds a 10.6% value share of the total low-fat and reduced-sugar foods and drinks sector.
This share is growing, and is principally accounted for by low-fat potato crisps and other bagged savoury snacks — a significant growth area within this being rice- and corn-based products.
A 5.3% share of the total low-fat and reduced-sugar sector is held by low-fat ready meals, although this proportion is falling.
A slowly rising share of around 4% is held by low-fat and low-calorie sauces and soups, mainly through salad accompaniments (i.e.
salad creams, mayonnaise and dressings).The balance of the low-fat and reduced-sugar foods and drinks sector is accounted for by a range of products including soya milk, canned beans and pasta, cereal bars, jams and marmalades, and chocolate or malted hot beverages.
Retailers' own-label products have taken advantage of the trend towards `healthier' diets, with sub-brands such as Healthy Living (Tesco), Be Good to Yourself (Sainsbury's) and Count on Us (Marks & Spencer).Low-fat and reduced-sugar foods and drinks are manufactured by all the major food producers, with particularly strong brands (and some own-label items) made by Arla, Associated British Foods (AB Foods), Dairy Crest, Heinz, Kraft, Müller, Nestlé, Premier Foods, Quaker, Streamline Foods, Unilever and United Biscuits.Main media advertising expenditure on all products covered in this report rose by 39.9% in the 12 months to September 2005, but fell by 18.5% in the year to September 2006.