INTERNATIONAL – a report published this week says that dairy products make up 39% of sales of weight control foods.

Low calorie and sugar free soft drinks make up 34% of the market, with snacks taking 12%.

The ‘Weight Control Foods – A Global Analysis’ report says that the dairy sector should continue to perform well as interest in functional foods grows. It predicts that the growth of the sector will lead to foods being marketed as healthy and weight controlling.

It also claims that sales of low fat yogurts in the US reached $2.1 billion (2.4 billion euro) in 2000, up 47% from 1996. The report says that the driving force behind this has been fat free yogurt, which accounts for 37% of sales in the total market.

The report warns the dairy sector, saying that the snacks market “is showing the strongest growth, with modern consumers wanting to cut down on fat and calorie consumption without missing out on their favourite treats.”

The report also states that fat reduction will remain an important issue, with the emphasis on heart health as well as weight control.

‘Weight Control Food and Drinks – Global Trends and Developments’ is available from Leatherhead publishing. Phone (+44) 1372 376761 or visit www.lfra.co.uk.