Sainsbury's fruit cocktail

Sainsbury’s has reduced the sugar content of its own-label chilled juices by 83.5 tonnes a year following success with a 30% reduced sugar cranberry juice launched last year.

The move also equates to 16.7 million teaspoons, or 329 million fewer calories a year, Sainsbury’s said.

The supermarket chain has introduced new drinks Fruit Cocktail, Summerfruits and Pomegranate & Blueberry, all with 30% less sugar.

In addition, from next month all of its one-litre and two-litre chilled juice drinks will have reduced sugar content.

Yesterday, The Co-operative Group pledged to remove almost 100 million teaspoons of sugar from its shelves by launching a ‘no added sugar’ High Juice squash range.  

The society also signed up to a five-point pledge under the government’s Responsibility Deal.

Both Sainsbury’s and The Co-op’s actions come ahead of the release of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s report on carbohydrates and Public Health England’s action plan on sugar this Thursday (26 June).