To assess trends in relative availability, sugar content and serve size of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages available for sale in supermarkets from 2013 to 2019.

Repeat cross-sectional surveys. Data on single-serve beverages to be consumed in one sitting were obtained from an updated brand-specific food composition database. Trends in beverages availability and proportions with serve size ≤ 250 ml were assessed by χ2 tests. Sugar content trends were examined using linear regressions. The proportion of beverages exceeding the sugar threshold of the United Kingdom Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) was assessed.

New Zealand.

From 2013 to 2019, there was (i) an increase in the availability of sugar-free/low-sugar beverages (n 25 (8·4 %) to n 75 (19·1 %); P < 0·001) and craft sugar-sweetened soft drinks (n 11 (3·7 %) to n 36 (9·2 %); P < 0·001), and a decrease in availability of fruit/vegetable juices/drinks (n 94 (31·8 %) to n 75 (19·4 %); P < 0·001); (ii) small decreases in sugar content (mean g/100 ml) of sugar-sweetened soft drinks (3·03; 95 % CI 3·77, 2·29); fruit/vegetable juices/drinks (1·08; 95 % CI 2·14, 0·01) and energy drinks (0·98; 95 % CI 1·63, 0·32) and (iii) slight reduction in the proportion of beverages with serve size ≤ 250 ml (21·6 to 18·9 %; P < 0·001). In 2019, most beverages were sugar-sweetened or had naturally occurring sugars (79·1 %) and serve size > 250 ml (81·1 %) and most sugar-sweetened beverages exceeded the SDIL lower benchmark (72·9 %).

Most single-serve beverages available for sale in 2019 were sugary drinks with high sugar content and large serve sizes; therefore, changes made across the years were not meaningful for population’s health.

To quantify total sugar reformulation in Canadian prepackaged foods and beverages between 2013 and 2017 and identify changes in the nutritional composition of the foods and beverages reformulated to be lower in total sugar.

Longitudinal examination of foods and beverages present in both 2013 and 2017 collections of the University of Toronto’s Food Label Information Program database (n 6628 matched products). The proportion of products with changes in sugar levels was determined. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to examine changes in sugar levels overall for products lower or higher in sugar and changes in nutrient composition for products lower in sugar.

Largest grocery retailers by market share in Canada.

Canadian prepackaged foods and beverages.

The majority (76·6 %) of products had no change in total sugar content, 12·4 % were reformulated to be lower in sugar and 11·0 % were higher in sugar. A median sugar reduction of 19·0 % (1·6 g) was seen among products lower in sugar which was offset by a median 18·0 % (1·5 g) increase among products higher in sugar. Overall, median levels of energies and other nutrients stayed the same or decreased among products reformulated to be lower in sugar, the exception was for starch, which increased.

Limited progress was made to reformulate foods and beverages to be lower in total sugar between 2013 and 2017. Results from this study identify areas in the food supply where attention may be needed to avoid unintended consequences of sugar-focused reformulation in terms of overall nutritional composition.