WHITWORTHS ADAPT KEY RANGE TO BE HFSS COMPLIANT

Dried fruits, nuts, and seeds market leader announces changes being made to key range to ensure compliance with initial HFSS restrictions that came into effect at the start of this month.

Despite official HFSS legislation being pushed back to 2023, Whitworths is working to ensure its key ranges are compliant with restrictions being put in place by leading supermarkets this October, which will further secure its position as a leader in the healthier snacking category.

Worth nearly £117m*, 2022 has been a big year for Whitworths, and in particular its SHOTS range which accounts for 10% of total branded sales. This has been further bolstered by new listings in 75 WH Smith distribution points across the UK and 1,400 one-off free standing display unit listings in Tesco stores nationwide over the summer months.

Whitworths’ HFSS compliant SHOTS range currently consists of four SKUs: Toffee & Pecan, Chocolate & Hazelnut, Chocolate & Orange Cranberry and Salted Caramel Nuts, with each pack in the core fruit and nut range containing under 100 calories and 100% recyclable packaging.

In order to align with HFSS legislation, the healthier snacking brand is adjusting the contents of its Chocolate & Raisin SKU, whereby chopped apricots will be added and the current dark chocolate pieces will be replaced with a new dark chocolate that is higher in fibre and lower in sugar. Further, in line with feedback from taste panels, Whitworths has improved the flavour of the SKU to increase appeal with a wider market of consumers. This SKU is due to be rolled out in Q4 this year.

Whitworths Commercial Director, Phil Gowland comments: “Based on what we know from the recent National Food Strategy Paper, significant changes need to be made to the nation’s eating habits for health, economic, and climate reasons. Part of this is reducing the consumption of products High in saturated Fat, Salt, and Sugar. We are committed to helping everyone eat a little healthier everyday which means improving the experience of our existing products to make healthier options more accessible to all.”