Health and nutrition strategy

Summary:
UB’s focus on health and nutrition is integral to providing quality snacks that consumers can enjoy within a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.UB’s health and nutrition strategy is to:
 
-       Remove or reduce the ingredients consumers may be concerned about
-       Develop products using wholesome and nutritious ingredients
-       Provide healthier options of standard products, with the same great taste
-       Clearly communicate the nutrition content on the packaging.
 
For several years, UB has been working on reformulation programmes to improve the nutritional content of its products by reducing saturated fat and sodium, removing hydrogenated vegetable oil – the main source of trans fats – and by removing artificial colours and flavours.
 
The following are some examples of UB’s health and nutrition programme achievements so far:
 
Rising success of healthier options:
More and more consumers are choosing lower fat snacks as part of a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle.
 
UB offers a range of reduced fat biscuits and crackers, which contain at least 30% less fat than the standard versions of the product.
 
-          The McVitie’s Lights range of Digestives, Rich Tea, Hobnobs and Milk Chocolate Digestives offer consumers 30% less fat than the standard ranges of these biscuits.
 
-          Jacob’s Light Cream Crackers offer consumers 50% less fat than the standard Jacob’s Cream Crackers.
 
Removing hydrogenated fats:
UB led the way among biscuit manufacturers by removing partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (the main source of trans fats) from biscuit doughs in 2004. Since then, we have phased out the use of hydrogenated vegetable oil in all UB manufactured products.
 
Removing artificial colours and flavours:
UB has had a continuous programme to remove artificial colours and flavours from its products since 2000.
 
Products made by UB that are free from artificial colours and flavours include: Carr’s, Crawford’s, Hula Hoops, Jacob’s (excluding Jacob’s Cheese Footballs, Cheeselets and Lemon Puffs), Jaffa Cakes, McVitie’s Digestives, McVitie’s Hobnobs, Mini Cheddars (excluding Branston Pickle flavour), Penguin, Phileas Fogg, Skips, TUC Original, Twiglets and Wheat Crunchies.
 
All future product developments made under the following brands will be free from artificial colours and flavours: BN, Delacre, go ahead!, Sultana and Verkade.
 
Reducing saturated fat:
In 2009 a number of UB’s biscuits were launched with reductions in saturated fat, and for some products a second reduction was launched at the start of 2010. Examples of the overall reductions include: an 80% saturated fat reduction in McVitie’s Digestives and Light Digestives, a 75% reduction in McVitie’s Hobnobs, Rich Tea and Light Rich Tea and, a 65% reduction in McVitie’s Light Hobnobs, a 50% reduction in go ahead! Crispy Slices and a 12% reduction in go ahead! and Sultana Yogurt Breaks.
 
UB reduced the saturated fat in some of its popular savoury biscuits in 2009 so that the saturated fat in Jacob’s Light Cream Crackers has reduced by 55%, in Sultana’s Savoury Slices by 40% and in Jacob’s Cream Crackers and High Fibre Cream Crackers by 30%.
 
UB has also reduced the saturated fat content of its top snacks. Hula Hoops are made with sunflower oil and now contain 80% less saturated fat than in 2005. KP Crisps also contain 80% less. Skips, KP Mini Chips, Brannigans Crisps, Wheat Crunchies, Frisps, Nik Naks, Space Raiders and Roysters now have 75% less saturated fat. McCoy’s Crisps have 70% less and Discos now have 60% less saturated fat. Mini Cheddars Crinklys have seen a 40% saturated fat reduction and Mini Cheddars a 30% reduction.
 
Reducing salt:
Since 2004, UB has achieved a 23% sodium reduction across its biscuits and cakes portfolio and 18% in the crisps and snacks categories. This has been achieved through a phased approach to ensure consumers’ tastes adapted over time.
 
Salt is also known as sodium chloride. So sodium is part of salt. The sodium content of a product is often derived from other ingredients, such as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), as well as salt. UB will continue to redevelop recipes to reduce sodium where we can do so while maintaining the high quality of our products.
 
Examples of salt reductions in the biscuits and cakes category include: a 60% reduction in McVitie’s Hobnobs, a 55% reduction in McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Digestives, a 51% reduction in McVitie’s Digestives, a 44% reduction in McVitie’s Rich Tea, and a 23% reduction in Sultana Savoury Slices.