WHO had released a report a few days ago in which it was said that sugar or salt contain microplastics. We should not eat it in excess because it is harmful for our health. But recently a report has been published about Indians. In which it has been told that Indians eat a lot of sugar. And their addiction to eating sweets is increasing day by day. There has been no reduction in it.
One in two Indians living in cities eats sweets with pressure
Recently a survey has been conducted which revealed that 1 out of 2 customers living in the city are eating sweets, packaged bakery products, chocolates, biscuits every week. Not only this, the percentage of urban Indian families eating traditional sweets several times a month increased from 41% in 2023 to 51% in 2024. 56% of urban Indian families eat cakes, biscuits, ice cream, shakes, chocolates, candy etc. 3 or more times a month. There are 18% Indians who eat it every day. The festive season is going to start soon, so the position of the brand bringing low sugar variants can be better.
Sugar consumption has increased
According to the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), India is witnessing a significant increase when it comes to sugar consumption, indicating the growing demand in the country every year. DFPD has said that the annual sugar consumption in India has reached about 290 lakh (29 million) tonnes (LMT) annually. The amount of sugar consumed has been gradually increasing since the year 2019-20, when it was more than 28 million metric tonnes. While the total consumption of sugar in the country is increasing, the market meeting the demand for sugar-free products is also growing, especially the consumption of sugar in Indian sweets and ice cream has increased significantly. Some sugar-free variants have also been launched in the market.
Products launched in the market which contain natural sugar
Many food item brands have been launched where natural sugar from dates, figs and jaggery is used as sweeteners. However, one area that most brands have not focused on is introducing a low-sugar version of their regular products. In a November 2023 survey by LocalCircles on how sweets are consumed in India, consumers wrote about how they consistently find sugar levels higher than expected in many products such as traditional sweets, chocolates, cookies, bakery products and ice cream.
Consumption of traditional sweets has also increased
LocalCircles released a survey on sweet consumption in 2024. Through this survey, the platform attempted to understand if there has been any change in the sugar consumption pattern in Indian households. If yes, has there been any shift from traditional sweets to other sugar-rich products. It also attempted to understand through the survey what is the acceptability of low-sugar products among Indian household consumers. The survey received over 36,000 responses from household consumers located across 311 districts in India. 61% of the respondents were men while 39% of the respondents were women. 42% of the respondents were from tier 1, 29% from tier 2 and 29% from tier 3 and 4 districts.
Having something sweet after a meal is not uncommon in most families, unless health conditions allow it. The survey first asked consumers, “How many times do you/your family members usually eat traditional Indian sweets every month?” The question received 12,248 responses, of which only 10% said they eat traditional Indian sweets every day. 6% respondents said “15-30 times per month”; 8% respondents said “8-15 times a month”; 27% respondents said “3-7 times a month”; and 39% said “1-2 times a month.” Only 4% respondents said the question was not applicable as they do not eat traditional Indian sweets while 6% respondents did not give a clear answer. In summary, 51% of urban Indian households eat traditional Indian sweets 3 or more times a month.
51% of urban Indian households eat traditional Indian sweets 3 or more times a month. The survey revealed that the percentage of urban Indian households consuming traditional sweets is expected to increase from 41% in 2023 to 51% in 2024.
Disclaimer: Some of the information given in the news is based on media reports. Before implementing any suggestion, please consult the concerned expert.
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