‘Healthy’ toddler snacks full of sugar, analysis shows

Charity says food marketed for young children often has deceptive labels and would get ‘red’ sugar rating

MORE than a third of “healthy” toddler snacks would receive a “red rating” for sugar content, research suggests.

Biscuits and fruit bars designed for babies and toddlers can contain as much as two teaspoons of sugar despite featuring “healthy sounding” claims on its packaging such as “no added sugar”, according to an analysis carried out by the Action on Sugar campaign.

It is not mandatory for manufacturers to use the traffic light labelling system to show nutritional information on the front of products.

However, the charity found that more than a third (37 per cent) of the 73 baby and toddler snacks that it analysed would receive a red rating for sugar content – the worst rating possible.

Only six of the 73 products (8 per cent) would receive a green rating, the analysis found.

A poll for Action on Sugar found that 84 per cent of parents of young children said they buy these sweet snacks for their children, and 60 per cent said a “no added sugar” claim would persuade them to choose a particular product.

Kiddylicious, Heinz and Aldi were behind products deemed to have the greatest sugar content in the analysis.

Kiddylicious Banana Crispy Tiddlers were named as the most sugary snack, with 59g of sugars per 100g. Heinz Farley’s Rusks Original were in sixth place, with 29g of sugars per 100g, and Aldi Organic Mamia Soft Carrot Cake Oaty Bars were in eighth place, also with 29g of sugars per 100g.

Action on Sugar said the findings are of “deep concern” and the charity has called for the removal of “misleading” nutrition and health claims. It argues that the “no added sugar” claim should be revised when such ingredients are replaced by fruit concentrates, which are still a type of free sugar (sugar added to a food or drink). It is also urging the Government to finally publish its composition guidelines for baby and toddler products, which will steer manufacturers on how much sugar should be used.

Dr Kawther Hashem, the head of campaigns at Action on Sugar and research fellow at Queen Mary University of London, said: “It’s ludicrous that certain food companies are being allowed to promote high sugar snacks to parents with very young children.

“Babies can have a preference for sweet foods due to milk being ever so slightly sweet, but liking sugary foods is something they only learn by eating sugary foods. Some companies choose to encourage this preference further by providing lots of very sweet products from an early age.”

A Heinz spokesman said: “Farley’s offers a range of reduced sugar rusks with 30 per cent less sugar. The level of added sugars in these recipes is kept to a minimum consistent with the need to provide a texture that dissolves easily.”

Kiddylicious and Aldi were contacted for comment.