Polyol Sweeteners Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Product Type (Mannitol, Sorbitol, Erythritol, Isomalt, Lactitol, Maltitol, Xylitol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates), By Application (Beverages, Ready-to-prepare Drink Mixtures, Functional Foods, Bakery Products, Confectionery, Dairy Products, Foodservice, Other Non-food Applications) And Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

The global polyol sweeteners market is witnessing robust growth due to the rising demand for healthy sugar substitutes. The regular table sugar, sucrose is high in calorie content which is perceived to contribute to lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and tooth decay. Polyols are carbohydrates, making them sugar-free sweeteners. Eight polyols are used as sugar substitutes. These are widely used in baked goods, carbonated beverages, powdered drink mixtures, jams, jellies, and dairy products. They are also used for frozen desserts, fruit juices, chewing gums, and gelatines.

According to the American Heart Association, sugary drinks are the largest source of added sugars consumed by people. The rising demand for sugar-free beverages among consumers drives the growth of the polyol sweeteners market. Consumers nowadays look for indulgent products that are also healthy. Polyols provide significantly fewer calories per gram as compared to table sugar. Polyols can also be utilized as bulking agents and to improve the texture of food and beverages.

The commonly used sweeteners such as sucrose and glucose are known to contain high calories which contribute to health conditions such as diabetes and obesity. The rising awareness regarding the adverse health effects of consuming high-calorie sugars fuels the demand for low-calorie and zero-calorie sugar replacers. The increasing demand for low-calorie beverages, mainly soft drinks, energy drinks, and sugar-free foods primarily propels the growth of the polyol sweeteners market. The growing popularity of healthy sweets and sugar-free snacks among consumers supports market growth.

The shift in consumer preference towards products with clean labels such as natural, fresh, sustainable, and non-GMO is driving the demand for natural sugar substitutes. Natural sugar substitutes are considered as a safe and healthy food additive as they are derived from plants. The rising popularity of natural sweeteners such as stevia as an alternative to sugar is expected to act as a key restraint for the global polyol sweeteners market.

Key Players Covered:

The Archer Daniels Midland Company, Ingredion, Inc., Cargill, Inc., Nutra Food Ingredients, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., Roquette Frères S.A., Tereos Starch & Sweeteners Europe, Südzucker AG, Gulshan Polyols Ltd., Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG, and Sweeteners Plus Inc. are the key players operating in the global polyol sweeteners market.

Mannitol is expected to witness substantial sales performance owing to its extensive utilization in assorted sugar-free food & beverages. Mannitol is around 50% as sweet as sucrose. It is also widely used in pharmaceutical preparations. Sorbitol is also projected to exhibit strong growth owing to its effectiveness against tooth decay. It is widely utilized in toothpaste.

The beverage sector is expected to witness promising growth owing to the wide utilization of sugar replacers in a plethora of beverages. The manufacturers are developing functional beverages containing polyol sugar substitutes to meet the growing demand for zero-calorie products. For example, in June 2020, an Australian manufacturer, Bickford’s launched a cordial made from a mix of sweetener stevia and erythritol to meet the growing demand for better-for-you beverages.  

Regional Analysis:

North America is expected to witness substantial growth on account of the growing popularity of clean-label products. The rising trend of consuming sugar-free food and beverages is fuelling the growth of the polyol sweeteners market in the region. New product launches such as sugar-free energy drinks, soda, and soft drinks containing these sweeteners by beverage giants are expected to contribute to the growth of the market in the region.

Europe is expected to witness strong growth of the polyol sweeteners market in foreseeable years owing to the increasing use of sugar-free products. Public health group initiatives are pushing laws and regulations to reduce the ready availability of foods high in added sugars are primarily driving the growth of the market in the region. For example, in March 2017, Public Health England (PHE) published the technical guidelines to reduce the amount of sugar consumption among children to fight childhood obesity.

Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit promising growth owing to the rising awareness of the negative health effects of excessive consumption of sugar among consumers. The penetration of sugar substitutes in the food and beverage industry fuels market growth. Governments of various countries in the region are imposing sugar taxes on sugar-containing products to tackle lifestyle conditions such as obesity and diabetes, which is expected to fuel the market growth in the region. For example, in July 2019, Malaysia announced a sugar tax on sugar beverages such as soda & soft drinks.  

Segmentation

Key Industry Developments

• In May 2020, Ingredion, Inc. EMEA launched a polyol sweetener ERYSTA Erythritol to fulfil the growing demand for ‘no added sugar’ and ‘calorie-reduced’ label claims among consumers.


• In October 2019, Portland-based Icon Foods introduced a new sweetener, IconiSweet, a combination of allulose, erythritol, stevia and monk fruit. The new product has various technological advantages over traditional single sweetener products.