'Tis the season for sugary festive drinks this Christmas
16 December 2022
In recent years, festive Christmas drinks have become much more abundant across our high streets. This holiday season is no different, with the introduction of new and enticing indulgent options including caramel waffle lattes, toffee nut cream cold brews and praline cookie hot chocolates. We conducted a small review of the 34 festive drinks currently on offer across high street chains to determine their nutritional value and composition. Despite being offered as ‘drinks’ the nutritional composition of many are similar to desserts or puddings, due to the high free sugar content, with the majority significantly contributing to daily sugar allowances and in some cases exceeding them.
Open cup hot milk drinks have been part of the sugar reduction and reformulation programme and overall it appears a good news story with a decrease in sugar content of 10% across the category.1 However, that is still way short of the 20% target and has been accompanied by an increase in calories and looking specifically at the festive drinks on offer at the moment and the marketing that accompanies them, they are still likely to make a significant contribution to our sugar and calorie intake.
Free sugars are defined as any sugar added to food, such as sugar found in confectionery, sauces, drinks and breakfast cereals, in addition to sugar already found in fruit juice and purees, honey and syrup. The recommended free sugar intake differs by age group. Adults, and children aged 11 and above should consume no more than 30g of free sugars per day, with children aged 7-10 consuming no more than 24g and children aged 4-6 consuming no more than 19g per day.2
To put this in the context of festive drinks, a ‘Tall’ (medium) sized Praline Cookie Hot Chocolate with semi - skimmed milk from Starbucks, provides 33.9g of sugar3, 3.9g more than the recommended 30g of free sugars a day for older children and adults and an added 9.9g of sugar for children aged 7-10. A ‘Venti’ or large serving of the same drink provides a shocking 55.3g of sugar 3 (equivalent to one and a half average sprinkled ringed doughnuts). This is seen across other high street coffee chains too, with a ‘Regular’ sized semi-skimmed salted caramel brownie from Caffé Nero reaching 42.9g of sugar 4 and a ‘Regular’ macaroon hot chocolate from Pret a Manger containing 37.9g.5 The impact of free sugars upon health is important to address, as they are associated with a greater risk of tooth decay, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Moreover, consuming free sugars increases energy intake which heightens the risk of overweight and obesity.
It is also important to consider that these drinks will often be consumed alongside other unhealthy foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), as shop floors are flooded with Christmas festive snacks and nibbles during the festive season. Despite the changes in the out of home sector during the pandemic coffee remains consistently the main food category for out of home trips.6
Festive drinks are extensively promoted across online channels and outdoor advertising, further deepening individual exposure. This year, Costa partnered with a Tik Tok influencer of 9 million followers7 to promote their new festive drinks range, whilst both Starbucks and McDonalds promoted their new Christmas Cups and merchandise including a new colour changing reusable cup from Starbucks, alongside their new festive drink ranges.
The prevalence of excess weight amongst children and adults is currently at a concerning level. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions have created large barriers for reducing obesity, and alongside a lack of progress on improving food environments, we look to be heading in completely the wrong direction in improving rates of overweight and obesity throughout the population. Scotland has among the highest levels of obesity prevalence for men and women amongst OECD countries8, with just over two thirds (67%) of the adult population now living with overweight and obesity.9 The impact of deprivation on obesity rates in Scotland is also concerning, with those from the most deprived areas more like to be a higher weight compared to those in the least deprived.8 Furthermore, the most recent Primary 1 BMI data10 (published on 14th December 2021), continues to highlight significant and worrying trends in the weight of Scottish children. Data from the 2020/21 report showed that 29.5% of children in Primary 1 were at risk of developing overweight or obesity, an increase of 6.8% from the previous year. Importantly, the biggest increase across weight categories was seen in those at risk of obesity which rose to 15.5% (up from 10% in 2019/20). We know that children living with overweight and obesity are more prone to health risks, both in the short term and in their future and these results should be a matter of serious concern to us all.
With those statistics and their consequences for individual health in mind, can we afford to accept such high sugar drinks being marketed to us? Can we afford to continue to see them as a seasonal, occasional treats? Are they genuinely an occasional treat, when we already consume so much sugar throughout the year?
Festive drinks are part of a wider issue of HFSS products and their marketing creating an environment which is hard to avoid especially when they are more affordable and accessible than healthier options, therefore increasing the opportunity for them to be consumed as more than just an occasional treat. Furthermore, other drinks high in sugar, fat and calories from these high street chains are still available after the festive season has ended and throughout the year, in the form of Frappuccino’s 11, flavoured iced teas 12 and milkshakes 13, strengthening the need for the healthy environment to be the most affordable and accessible. Alongside this, research from Food Standards Scotland (2022)14 highlights that consumers do have concern regarding the nutritional composition of food, particularly relating to sugar and fat content. 87% and 85% of respondents were concerned about the amount of sugar and saturated fat in food, respectively. This echoes findings from public polling which we ran earlier this year, highlighting that even in the current climate, the Scottish public recognise the importance of good health and the need for policies which allow us to achieve it.
The need for the food industry to drive our consumption of festive drinks which are the equivalent of a dessert or pudding is at odds with a need to improve our health and our weight as a nation. As a first step we need legislation to deliver the sugar reduction needed and to stop the incessant marketing of such unhealthy products.
References
1 Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. (2022). Sugar reduction – industry progress 2015 to 2020. Including the final report for foods included in the programme and the latest data for drinks included in the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and juices and milk based drinks. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1121444/Sugar-reduction-and-reformulation-progress-report-2015-to-2020.pdf [Accessed 7 December 2022].
2 British Nutrition Foundation. (2021). Sugar. British Nutrition Foundation. Available from: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthy-sustainable-diets/starchy-foods-sugar-and-fibre/sugar/?level=Health%20professional [Accessed 5 December 2022].
3 Starbucks. (2022). Starbucks Nutrition and Allergen Information. Starbucks. Available from: https://www.starbucks.co.uk/nutrition [Accessed 5 December 2022].
4 Café Nero. (2022).Festive Collection Dietary Requirements. Café Nero. Available from: https://caffenero.com/uk/festive/ [Accessed 5 December 2022].
5 Pret A Manger. (2022). Hot drinks. Pret. Available from: https://www.pret.co.uk/en-GB/products/categories/hot-drinks [Accessed 5 December 2022].
6 Food Standards Scotland. (2022). Out of home -Scotland 2021. Kantar. Available from: https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/downloads/FSS_-_NSP_-_Kantar_OOH_2021_slide_deck_-_PDF_copy_-_FINAL_-_29th_November_2022.pdf [Accessed 15 December 2022].
7 Marketing Communication News. (2022). Costa Coffee partners with Tik Tok star Fin Draper to promote new festive drinks range. Marketing Communication News. Available from: https://marcommnews.com/costa-coffee-partners-with-tik-tok-star-fin-draper-to-promote-new-festive-drinks-rangecosta-coffee-partners-with-tik-tok-star-fin-draper-to/ [Accessed 5 December 2022].
8 The Scottish Public Health Observatory. (2022). Obesity: key points. ScotPHO. Available from: https://www.scotpho.org.uk/clinical-risk-factors/obesity/key-points/ [Accessed 6 December 2022].
9 Scottish Government. (2022). The Scottish Health Survey 2021 – volume 1: main report. Edinburgh: The Scottish Government. [Accessed 7 December 2022].
10 Public Health Scotland. (2021). Primary 1 Body Mass Index (BMI) statistics Scotland. School year 2020 to 2021. Available from: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/primary-1-body-mass-index-bmi-statistics-scotland/primary-1-body-mass-index-bmi-statistics-scotland-school-year-2020-to-2021/ [Accessed 12 December 2022].
11 Starbucks. (2022). Frappuccino® Blended Beverage. Starbucks. Available from: https://www.starbucks.co.uk/menu/drinks/frappuccinor-blended-beverages [Accessed 6 December 2022].
12 Costa Coffee. (2022). Our Menu. Costa. Available from: https://www.costa.co.uk/menu/ [Accessed 6 December 2022].
13 Caffe Nero. (2022). Iced Drinks. Caffe Nero. Available from: https://caffenero.com/uk/drinks/iced-drinks/ [Accessed 6 December 2022]
14 Food Standards Scotland. (2022). Food in Scotland Consumer Tracking Survey Wave 14. Presentation of Results. Available from: https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/downloads/SG132FSS_Consumer_Tracker_Wave_14.pdf [Accessed 7 December 2022].