As a result of the voluntary commitments of the member companies of the Hungarian Mineral Water, Fruit Juice and Soft Drinks Association, the average sugar and calorie content of Hungarian soft drinks and juices has decreased by 43 percent between 2010 and 2020. With recipe changes and the introduction of new, innovative products, the ratio of low-calorie and zero-calorie beverages has increased from 23 percent to 57 percent within the non-alcoholic beverage category over the past ten years.
The Hungarian Mineral Water, Fruit Juice and Soft Drinks Association was the first and is still the only one in the Hungarian FMCG sector to initiate a voluntary sugar and calorie reduction scheme. Soft drink companies aspired a goal to halve the average sugar and calorie content of non-alcoholic beverages (soft drinks, juices, iced teas) sold in Hungary by the end of 2020 compared to 2010.
Over the last decade companies significantly reformulated their recipes, introduced new, innovative products, and expanded the proportion of low-calorie and zero-calorie products in their portfolio. In addition, companies encourage health-conscious liquid consumption through marketing activities so that more and more people would choose low-energy or calorie-free drinks.