Consumers

Being a responsible company, Royal Unibrew is aware of the global challenges formulated by WHO regarding obesity and the associated risks of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes as well as risk of alcohol abuse, linked to excess onsumption of food and beverages.

Royal Unibrew supports national and international trade associations, such as Brewers’ of Europe’s views and guidelines on responsible drinking. We also participate actively in innovation  partnerships looking at ways to reduce calorie content in soft drinks. In addition, we support a large variety of sports and health initiatives through sponsorships regionally and locally. In Finland, for example, all beer sponsorships will be converted into 0.0% alcohol beer.

Royal Unibrew strives to offer consumers and customers sustainable enjoyment through a broad variety of beverages, complementing the setting/situation whether the individuals find themselves at a music venue, dining with family and friends, exercising, travelling or at other occasions. The purpose is to provide energy, refreshment, quenching thirst or simply a good time. Consequently, we develop, launch and supply products with great taste and with regular, low/ non-alcohol and calorie content, all clearly declared.

Increasing the “low or non” varieties

During recent years, Royal Unibrew has across the group introduced more low-sugar or non-sugar alternatives compared to regular products in the soft drink, water and energy categories. The volume of low/non sugar products increased by 37% from 2016 to 2019, while regular products increased by only 9% in the same period.

We apply state-of-the-art process technology for low or non-alcohol beverages through e.g. the 2019 implementation of a new de-alcoholizing process in Denmark. The production of 0.0% and low alcohol products increased across the Group in 2019 accommodating the general consumer trend. The increase in volume of non-alcoholic beer resulting in at least double-digit growth from 2018 to 2019 in Denmark, Finland and the Baltic, and the low alcohol/non-alcohol volume increase outperformed the growth for alcohol containing beers by at least 5 percentage points in Finland and 65 percentage points in the Baltic.

Over the coming years, we will continue with a balanced development and launch of regular and reduced – both low and no – content of alcohol and sugar in our beverages.

In 2020, we plan to expand our tap wall concept (an innovative draught beer system with many taps) to include a choice of water and other products with reduced or no sugar/alcohol. In Off-Trade we will support a better overview of beverage choices for the consumers through co-development of new category-based sales displays.

We will continue to support and participate in relevant programs and partnerships regarding responsible beverages regionally and strive to identify relevant partnerships at Group level.

Targets for 2020-2022

New product development

• Balanced between regular, low, non for soft drinks (kcal and sugar content).
• Increase number of products with 0.0% and low alcohol in the beer, cider and ready-todrink (RTD) categories.