Why are products with sugar substitutes significantly more expensive? Explained by the enterprise

According to the company's specialists, the main reason is not just the cost of substitutes, but the complexity of the technological process itself.

Sugar in dairy dessert products (for example, in glazed cheese curds) performs three important functions at once: it provides taste, stabilizes the product's structure, and simultaneously acts as a natural preservative. If it is removed, these functions must be replaced by other ingredients, which makes the recipe much more complex.

Specialists note that you can't just "throw out the sugar and leave everything as is" — the product will lose its usual consistency, shelf life, and often even its shape. Therefore, when replacing, instead of one ingredient, several different components have to be used to restore the balance of taste and properties. This requires more time for development and testing, and also increases the cost of production.

That is precisely why sugar-free products are, on average, approximately 30% more expensive than classic ones. Added to this is the fact that sugar substitutes themselves are often more expensive than regular sugar, especially when it comes to high-quality and safe ingredients for mass production.

Another important point is demand. The plant emphasizes that about 90% of sales still come from traditional sugar-containing products. This means that while there is demand for "sugar-free" options, it is relatively small and considered niche. Therefore, a complete transition of the enterprise to them is not economically justified: the manufacturer would have to invest heavily in redesigning recipes and production lines, but there is no mass sales growth yet.

Separately, specialists also point out that sugar remains a "natural and familiar" sweetener for most consumers. Therefore, many people choose classic options, even if they understand that they are more caloric.

Sugar-free products are mainly aimed at two groups: people with diabetes and those who consciously reduce calorie intake. But even in these groups, demand is not so great as to change the overall production structure.

As a result, manufacturers conclude that the main thing is not a complete rejection of sugar, but controlling its quantity. They also refer to the recommendations of international organizations: it is not necessary to completely exclude sugar; it is important not to exceed reasonable norms and maintain a balanced diet.

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