Mars Food has launched a new global ‘Health and Wellbeing Ambition’ to create and promote healthier food choices and to encourage consumers to cook and share healthier meals with others.
The Health and Wellbeing Ambition will roll-out over the next five years and will focus on five main areas: improving nutritional content; providing consumers with more nutrition information to help them make more balanced choices; inspiring consumers to cook and eat healthy meals with friends and family; exploring new formats and opportunities to offer products in more places at affordable prices; and providing Mars Food Associates opportunities to improve wellbeing through nutrition education, cooking facilities, and healthier food options.
“We’re incredibly proud and excited to share our new five year Health and Wellbeing Ambition,” said Fiona Dawson, Global President of Mars Food, Drinks, and Multisales. “This Ambition advances our Purpose of creating Better Food Today and A Better World Tomorrow. As a busy mum myself, I know how tricky it can be to find healthy meals which everyone in the family will enjoy, and of course, they often need to be quick and easy to prepare.”
Through the Health and Wellbeing Ambition, Mars Food aims to help consumers differentiate and choose between ‘everyday’ and ‘occasional’ options. To maintain the authentic nature of the recipe, some Mars Food products are higher in salt, added sugar or fat. As these products are not intended to be eaten daily, Mars Food will provide guidance to consumers on-pack and on its website regarding how often these meal offerings should be consumed within a balanced diet.
In addition, Mars Food will improve its nutritional product composition through the reduction of added sugar and sodium and the addition of vegetables and whole grains across its global product portfolio. It will reduce sodium by an average of 20% by 2021 and reduce added sugar in a limited number of sauces and light meals by 2018. Additionally, Mars Food will significantly expand multi-grain options so that half of all rice products include whole grains and/or legumes. It will also ensure all tomato-based jar products include a minimum of one serving of vegetables.
