The Australian Beverages Council Limited (ABCL) has updated its Sugar Reduction Pledge, with Australia’s largest beverage companies now committing to reducing sugar across their portfolios by 25% by 2025.
This follows the original pledge in 2018, which saw Asahi Beverages, Coca-Cola South Pacific, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, and PepsiCo Australia and New Zealand commit to reducing sugar across their portfolios by 20% from 2015-2025.
Together, a reduction of more than 16% has now been achieved.
“Our Sugar Reduction Pledge signatories are accelerating their sugar reduction target not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because they’re ahead on their current sugar reduction targets,” says ABCL CEO Geoff Parker.
“Sugar reduction is being driven by a range of initiatives, including reformulation, smaller pack sizes, and pledgees investing in more low and no sugar products to meet growing consumer demand.
“Australian consumers want less sugar and more choices, and Australian beverage companies have responded.”
Progress against the Sugar Reduction Pledge will continue to be independently aggregated annually by KPMG and a report on progress towards the sugar reduction target made public.