Suntory Beverage & Food Europe Achieves 24% added sugar reduction across its drinks portfolio
Results published in the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices annual submission

LONDON - June 11, 2023 - Suntory Beverage and Food Europe (SBFE), producers of iconic soft drink brands Orangina, Lucozade, Schweppes and Oasis has has published its second annual submission to the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices. The company is pleased to demonstrate positive progress on the Code’s aspirational objectives and calls on policy makers to create the enabling legislative framework to support the company’s sustainability transition in support of the EUs Green Deal ambitions.

Peter Harding, SBFE’s Chief Executive Officer said; “Our commitment to become a more sustainable company is rooted in our company value of Growing for Good. We believe the more we grow the more positive impact we can have on society and the planet’s resources. I am pleased for the second year to demonstrate our company’s positive progress to reduce sugar, emissions, water, and waste and to significantly improve our packaging to enable circularity.”

In 2022, SBFE reduced added sugar across its portfolio by 24%, against a 2015 baseline. This is a key component of the company’s strategy to bring more choice of lower calorie drinks to consumers, and to reduce added sugars in soft drinks by 35%. This commitment meets the Code of Conduct’s aspirational objective of ‘Healthy, balanced and sustainable diets for all European consumers.’ More than 3,000tonnes of sugar was removed through reformulation of the Schweppes brand in Poland and Oasis in France.

SBFE’s Director of External Affairs and Sustainability Michelle Norman said, “Our move towards healthier drinks also reflects, and contributes to, a wider change in consumer preferences. To understand and plan for consumer responses to any changes to their favourite drinks, we invest in sensory trials and consumer research throughout the reformulation process. In addition to our 24% added sugar reduction, sales of our low and no sugar drinks (less than 5 grams added sugar per 100ml) have tripled in the past 5 years. However, regulatory enablers and greater consumer acceptance of sweetener alternatives are still lacking and should be addressed as part of a coherent nutrition policy by policy makers.”
As part of the Code, SBFE committed to reducing its impact on the natural environment, embedding circular economy principles in its business model, and supporting sustainable food systems. Commitments have been pledged to the EU Code of Conduct that will see the company halving food waste, only using recyclable plastic, and halving its GHG emissions within the decade, as well as working towards a goal of net-zero across the total value chain.

Supporting the aspirational objective of ‘An optimised circular and resource-efficient food chain in Europe’, SBFE is investing to remove virgin plastic made from fossil fuels from its drink containers. By the end of 2022 its portfolio contained an average of 36% recycled PET (rPET). In 2022 Schweppes in Spain moved to 100% rPET, and in the same year local brand La Casera put 25% recycled content into its portfolio. In 2022 Lucozade Sport, the best-selling sports beverage in the UK and Ireland moved to 100% rPET.

The transition to using only sustainable materials is key to achieve circularity and closed loop recycling. Norman added: “SBFE supports the aims of the circular economy, and we strongly believe that under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation minimum requirements, priority access should be secured for the soft drinks sector to high-quality, food-grade recycled feedstock from the deposit-return schemes. This will support strong progress on recycling rates and avoids downcycling.”

SBFE’s 2022 EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices report can be read here.To read more about the company’s sustainability work download the 2022 report here.