Children's Yogurts Found to Contain High Sugar Levels, Action on Salt & Sugar Reports

A recent analysis by the advocacy group Action on Salt & Sugar has revealed that many popular children's yogurts contain excessive amounts of sugar, with Nestle's Smarties Vanilla Split Pot identified as the most concerning.

The study, which examined 104 different yogurt products available in UK supermarkets, found that only two options were low in total sugars. The Nestle Smarties Vanilla Split Pot was found to contain 14.1 grams of sugar per 100 grams, equating to 15.1 grams per serving. This product ranked highest among those analyzed for sugar content.

Following closely were Lidl's Milbona Fruit Duo Fromage Frais Strawberry & Vanilla at 11.3g/100g and Nestle's Munch Bunch Double Up Strawberry & Vanilla Fromage Frais at 10.7g/100g. Several other products, including some from Aldi and Yoplait, also contained 9.9g of sugar per 100g.

In contrast, the yogurts with the lowest sugar content were The Collective Great Dairy Natural + Vitamin D and Yoplait Petits Filous No Added Sugar Strawberry & Banana, both containing 4.7g of sugar per 100g. Other lower-sugar options included Little Yeos Blueberry & Banana at 5.4g/100g and ASDA Plain Yogurt Pouches at 5.5g/100g.

According to the NHS, children aged 7-10 should consume no more than 24g of free sugars daily, with younger children having even lower recommended limits. The NHS advises parents to provide children with milk or milk-based products like yogurt for calcium and protein, recommending full-fat options up to the age of two.

However, experts at Action on Salt & Sugar highlighted that a significant portion of the sugar in these children's yogurts is not naturally occurring from milk but is added free sugar, derived from fruit purees, fruit juices, or direct sugar additions. They estimate that approximately 3.8g per 100g of sugar in the analyzed yogurts is naturally present in milk.

Dr. Kawther Hashem, Head of Research & Impact at Action on Salt & Sugar, stated that parents expect products marketed to children with cartoon characters and bright packaging to be healthier choices, but this is often not the case. She emphasized that yogurt can be a nutritious food, but it should not come with excessive free sugars.

Following their findings, Action on Salt & Sugar is advocating for stronger government measures. They propose that packaging appealing to children should be reserved for healthier products and that companies should be mandated to reduce sugar levels in their yogurts.