Mars Food Nutrition Criteria - Second Edition
The Mars Food Nutrition Criteria include targets for added sugar, salt, and fat content in all of our products, as well as targets for the inclusion of healthy whole grains, legumes, and vegetables in specific categories of our product range. Our criteria are ambitious – we adopt the strictest and most widely agreed upon nutrition recommendations issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other leading public health authorities.
We are using the Mars Food Nutrition Criteria to guide product innovation and reformulation, and help us track the nutritional composition of our portfolio over time. Under the Mars Food Global Health & Wellbeing Ambition, we have committed to:
- Reduce sodium by an average of 20% across our portfolio by 2021 (above and beyond the 25% reduction we accomplished between 2007 and 2012).
- Reduce added sugar in some sauces and light meals by 2018.
- Ensure that 50% of our rice products include at least one serving of whole grains or legumes per serving by 2021.
By setting a high bar for our products, we aim to deliver more nutritious mealtime products for our consumers to enjoy. In fact, by 2021, 95% of our products will meet our Criteria’s standards for added sugar, salt, and fat.
As we developed the Mars Food Nutrition Criteria, we took into consideration how our products are used – either as condiments, main meals, or side dishes. We aim to develop products that fit into healthy diets balanced over the course of several days or a week, allowing for the occasional treat and special meal.
And we’re not just using our Nutrition Criteria to drive healthy product development. We’re also using our Criteria to update recipe suggestions provided on pack and on our websites, provide more nutritious meals in Mars Food cafeterias, and limit how we market our products alongside other products in stores. All of these initiatives are part of the Mars Food Global Health & Wellbeing Ambition to deliver 1 Billion More Healthy Meals Shared on Dinner Tables Around the World.