Now, lemonade is available in a lower sugar version.
The drink company Lemonaid will no longer have to worry about selling their lemonade with insufficient sugar content, as they have been given a reprieve by the German Food Code Commission (DLMBK).
After a battle lasting more than five years, lemonades can now be deemed lemonades even if they have less than seven percent sugar. This means that the DLMBK has lifted the previous restriction requiring lemonades to contain at least seven percent sugar.
The regulations for soft drinks were amended, meaning that lemonades only need to contain "ingredients to achieve a sweet taste (such as sugar types, sweeteners)". The amount of sugar remains undecided.
"Six" percent sugar controversy
The court case began with the Hamburg beverage manufacturer, Lemonaid, selling a Bio-Lemonade with only six percent sugar content. This product was deemed not sweet enough by food control authorities in 2019. The authorities demanded the company to either rename their drink or add more sugar. In response, Lemonaid opposed this decision. The Hamburg Health Authority had also supported them, stating that products with minimal sugar should not be penalized.
Despite this, the lemonade was still sold during the dispute. Lemonaid's managing director, Paul Bethke, spoke about his happiness with the new guidelines but added that it was strange it took five years for the change.
The Food Code is a set of non-binding guidelines that are typically followed, providing "clarity and truth in food" by setting minimum and maximum amounts to protect consumers and avoiding deceptive practices by food manufacturers. The commission, made up of consumer protection, scientists, food control authorities, and economic representatives, oversees the guidelines for more than 2000 foods, including fruit juices, spices, and baked goods.
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The German Food Code Commission (DLMBK) appointed an advisor to help navigate the controversy surrounding the sugar content of lemonades, aiming to protect consumers' rights to access products with reduced sugar contents. The new guidance, which permits lemonades to contain less than seven percent sugar, is expected to have a significant impact on sugar consumption among consumers. In light of the court case involving Lemonaid and their low-sugar lemonade, this judgment serves as a landmark decision for consumer protection in the soft drinks industry.
Source: www.ntv.de
