Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
PepsiCo’s ‘guilt-free’ label covers some unusual suspects
NEW YORK — What do Baked Lay’s potato chips, Simply Tostitos chips and Diet Mountain Dew have in common? They’re all “guiltfree,” according to how PepsiCo categorizes them.
In reporting higher global sales last week, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi reiterated that 45 percent of the company’s revenue now comes from such “guilt-free” products. That grouping underscores how food makers are trying to position themselves.
The Food and Drug Administration said last year that it is re-evaluating its guidelines for when companies can use the term “healthy” on packaging to reflect the latest science.
For PepsiCo Inc., the definition of “guilt-free” is broad. The maker of Doritos, Tropicana and Gatorade considers products falling under that term as those with “positive” ingredients Tim Caulfield, such as grains, fruits and vegetables.
That would include its Naked beverages, which can have more than 400 calories and 50 grams of sugar from fruits per bottle.
Drinks with less than 70 calories per 12-ounce serving are also part of PepsiCo’s guilt-free category, as are snacks with less saturated fat or sodium than their regular counterparts.
Though PepsiCo Inc. doesn’t stamp its packages with a “guilt-free” label, the idea comes through in product names like “simply” and “baked” and in how they’re marketed.
Tim Caulfield, a professor at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health, said such products signal progress because they show that companies are feeling pressured to present healthier options — or at least ones that are framed as healthier.
But Caulfield noted that the “health halo” of such foods can prompt people to rationalize habits.
“You’ve got your low-calorie soda and your guilt-free snack, and you can eat more of it,” Caulfield said.
David Wiss, a dietitian in Los Angeles, said food companies can tap into people’s feelings around food by offering options with less of this or that ingredient — while still offering regular versions for when they may feel comfortable about indulging.