Despite Safety Concerns... The Zero Sugar Craze Is Ongoing

Artificial Sweetener Market Expected to Reach 43 Trillion Won by 2028
Alternative Sweeteners Strengthening Position as Sugar Substitutes
Domestic Food Industry Shows Clear Trend of Zero Sugar Policy Expansion

Despite the recent controversy surrounding aspartame, the alternative sweetener market, which maintains the same taste while reducing calories, is expected to continue growing as an alternative to sugar, which causes various health problems.

According to market research firm Statista on the 13th, the global artificial sweetener market size was approximately $22 billion (about 28.39 trillion KRW) last year. The artificial sweetener market, which was around $17.4 billion (about 22.45 trillion KRW) in 2018, grew by more than 25% over four years until last year. Along with the growth of the zero-sugar food market, the artificial sweetener market is also expected to grow, reaching $33.8 billion (about 43.61 trillion KRW) by 2028.

The perception that excessive consumption of sugar, widely used in modern diets, can cause health issues such as obesity and diabetes has acted as a driving force for the growth of the alternative sweetener market. Additionally, since the cultivation of sugarcane, the raw material for sugar, affects climate change, the awareness that reducing sugar consumption can contribute to building a sustainable environment has also influenced the growth of the alternative sweetener market.

Alternative sweeteners are broadly classified into artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose, which are 200 to 600 times sweeter than sugar, and natural sweeteners extracted from plant leaves or seeds, like stevia. In South Korea, alternative sweeteners using allulose, rather than the bitter aftertaste of stevia, dominate the market. Allulose is a component found in trace amounts in raisins and figs, with about 70% of the sweetness of sugar but only 5% of the calories, and more than 98% of it is not absorbed by the body and is excreted. Although first developed in Japan, CJ CheilJedang was the first to mass-produce it domestically, with production also by Q-One and Samyang Corporation.

Q One 'Allulose'

As awareness of the problems related to sugar and sweeteners spreads and alternative sweeteners are proposed as alternatives, the market size for related foods is rapidly expanding. With increasing rates of diabetes, overweight, and obesity, consumer preference for zero-sugar products has risen, and the global zero-sugar market size grew to $17.92 billion (about 23.11 trillion KRW) last year, with an expected annual growth rate of 4.0% through 2027.

The zero-sugar trend is spreading throughout the food industry, with the beverage market being the most notable area. Among carbonated drinks sold in domestic convenience stores, the proportion of zero-sugar products increased from 22.5% in 2021 to 32.0% last year, and expanded further to 41.3% as of March this year. Recently released zero-sugar beverages have captured consumers' tastes by delivering flavors almost indistinguishable from existing products, and the range of products has expanded from carbonated drinks to coffee, ion drinks, and energy drinks.

However, the safety controversy over alternative sweeteners has resurfaced as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), under the World Health Organization (WHO), is reportedly planning to classify aspartame as a possible carcinogen. Opinions are divided regarding the safety and health benefits of alternative sweeteners. On one side, led by WHO, there are concerns that long-term consumption of alternative sweeteners may burden the human body and lead to a desire for stronger sweetness. On the other side, there are claims that the safety of alternative sweeteners has been proven through research and that they serve as an alternative to prevent physical diseases caused by excessive sugar intake.

Meanwhile, opinions are also divided regarding aspartame, which sparked the recent controversy, but the Food Additives Expert Committee (JECFA) announced research results earlier this year indicating that consuming up to 40 mg/kg per day of aspartame causes no side effects, and concerns that classifying it as a possible carcinogen is premature are gaining more support. The domestic industry and relevant authorities plan to monitor overseas developments and prepare countermeasures accordingly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.