Mars, Wrigley team with other candy makers on calorie reduction efforts

WASHINGTON — Mars Chocolate North America and Wrigley U.S. have announced a new commitment to creating health and well-being standards for consumers by working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and such other industry players as Nestle, Lindt, Ferrero to center the efforts on offering transparency and choice to consumers.

Among the efforts is a push to offer 100-calorie pack options for consumers, as well as the recent launch of M&M’s Caramel and Maltesers in packs with less than 200 calories. Additionally, Mars highlighted it and Wrigley’s efforts to eliminate marketing to children, eliminating “King Size” offerings and replacing them with portionable “sharing” options and delivering on making all of its single-serve products less than 250 calories per pack, among others.

“We began our relationship with Mars Food through Uncle Ben’s and Seeds of Change to increase healthier choices for families,” Partnership for a Healthier America president and CEO Larry Soler said. “Today’s announcement extends to Mars Chocolate and Wrigley to help reduce calories and increase transparency, which will help all Americans have more choices."

Mars and Wrigley have committed more than $200 million to ensuring its individually wrapped products are 200 calories or less by 2022 and work with industry partners to eliminate “king size” offerings and replace them with “sharing” options, as well as pushing for education on candy as a treat rather than an everyday snack or meal replacement.

“Over the past decade we have been laser-focused on continuously pushing ourselves and our peers to offer consumers more choice and transparency while keeping the same great tastes and experiences our fans love,” Mars Chocolate North America president Tracey Massey said. “By joining forces with PHA and other leading confectionery manufacturers to create even deeper commitments, we are taking an important step forward to transform the entire industry so we can evolve to meet and exceed the demands of today’s consumers.”

Besides the newly announced commitments, Mars Food, which makes Uncle Ben’s and Seeds of Change, said that its Health and Wellbeing Ambition effort — which is aimed at delivering one billion more healthy meals worldwide — is continuing through a six-year partnership with PHA, which will validate Mars Food’s progress toward its goal in the United States.