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Slimming Products
Over the last 20 years, the number of obese adults in England has trebled. The National Audit Office (NAO) estimates that one in five men and one in four women could be obese by 2005 if effective action is not taken. Initiatives to encourage weight loss have included Food First Ñ a 3-year programme launched in June 2002 by the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Ñ which aims to increase awareness of the benefits of a balanced and varied diet in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
It is generally agreed that it is unhealthy to be obese, but the topic of weight loss is a controversial one in many respects; slimming products and the slimming market in general have been subject to much criticism. For example, there has been concern about an over-emphasis on weight loss leading to eating disorders among young women; launches of new specialised slimming products (such as appetite suppressants) are often speedily followed by tales of unwanted side effects; and there have been numerous complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about the claims made, and marketing methods used, by some manufacturers.
Nonetheless, the UK market for slimming products (including low-fat and reduced-fat products, low-sugar and reduced-sugar products, and other slimming products, such as meal replacements and appetite suppressants) has shown good growth over the past 5 years. There has been a growing tendency for products Ñ which have been marketed on a 'slimming' platform in the past Ñ to change their positioning to reflect the fact that many people are now more interested in general health and fitness than in counting calories. There has also been a good deal of activity in the retail sector, with many major retailers introducing new low-fat, healthy-eating brands, or revamping their existing ones, with an emphasis on taste, health and freshness rather than on weight-loss benefits.
Although women are more likely than men to complain that there is too much pressure on them to be slim nowadays, men and women are equally likely to assert that women should not worry if they are slightly overweight. Women are more likely than men to endorse slimming clubs, and slimming meals and drinks, as a way to lose weight, but there is no difference in the number of men and women who agree that exercise is a vital component of any weight-loss programme. Women are almost three times as likely as men to currently be on a diet, and more women than men acknowledge that their life would be better in some way if they did lose weight. Among male respondents, better health is the most-mentioned reason for wanting to do so.
The future direction of the market for slimming products will almost certainly be towards a general 'healthy-eating' positioning, with an emphasis on taste and quality combined with lower fat and sugar content, rather than the more faddish, quick weight-loss end of the spectrum.
The recommended daily intake (RDA) of calories is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men. It is strongly advised that few of these calories should come from fats, particularly saturated fats. In addition to the fact that western culture considers being overweight unattractive, people are now more aware of the dangers to health of consuming too much fat, such as increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and they are more inclined to address the problem than in the past. In fact, over a third of women and almost a fifth of men were trying to diet.
Some people attempt to limit their calorie intake by choosing natural foods wisely. However, demand for convenience is such that the potential market for processed reduced-fat and reduced-sugar products, and for calorie-counted food, is large. Such foods appeal not only to those opting for a healthy alternative, which detracts from sales of standard products, but also to slimmers, who may be tempted to buy products they may previously have considered out-of-bounds, thus expanding the market. According to McVitie's, this latter category has significantly contributed to increased sales of its `Go Ahead!' brand.
Nevertheless, a NOP survey found that relatively few respondents regularly buy reduced-fat variants, with the exception of dairy products, and that, in fact, the incidence of regular purchase of all types of diet and low-fat foods had actually fallen since 2000.
Leading the market for healthy meals, along with `Go Ahead!', are the `Weight Watchers' and `Lean Cuisine' brands. However, supermarket own-label brands have moved upmarket, and are no longer merely a cheap alternative to branded products. Sainsbury's `Be Good to Yourself' is testament to this: the low-fat range, promoted as indulgent as well as healthy, is Sainsbury's biggest in-store brand. Other own-brand healthy options include `Count on Us' from Marks & Spencer, and the newly introduced `Perfectly Balanced' range from Waitrose.
Reduced fat and reduced sugar do not necessarily equate with low fat and low sugar. Furthermore, a product claiming to be low in fat may have a high sugar level, which will increase the number of calories Ñ often `empty' calories contributing nothing else to the body, whereas some intake of fat is essential for good health.
Dieticians generally believe that extensive use of reduced-fat foods alone cannot be expected to produce any significant weight loss, unless it is combined with a reduction in calories and increased exercise. It is also by no means certain that consumers do not respond to eating reduced-fat or reduced-sugar foods by seeking fats and sugars from other sources, whether consciously or subconsciously.
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