Alternative Sweetener Market - Forecasts from 2023 to 2028

The global alternative sweetener market was valued at US$9,146.945 million in 2021.

Alternative sweeteners or sugar substitutes are food additives that give sweetness similar to sugar but have fewer calories than sugar-based sweeteners, making them zero-calorie or low-calorie. Alternate sweeteners may be derived through chemical synthesis or processing plant extracts. Commercial alternative sweeteners come in various forms, including packets, powders, or small tablets. Some popular commercial alternate sweeteners include sugar alcohol, aspartame, monk fruit, purified stevia leaf extract, Neotame, Saccharin, and Sucralose.

The consumer's quality of life has significantly improved, mostly due to high personal income. The population's eating habits have changed significantly due to growing health consciousness among consumers. Also, businesses are putting a lot of effort into creating items made of healthy and specialist goods that enhance health. Therefore growing demand for low-caloric sweeteners is propelling the growth of the global market for alternative sweeteners during the forecast period. The rising diabetic population is also spurring growth as alternate sweeteners as they do not affect the blood sugar level of the consumer.

However, the government's stringent rules and regulations and high costs obstruct the growth of the global market for alternative sweeteners during the analysis period.

The rising health consciousness among consumers and the growing prevalence of diabetes & obesity are key factors augmenting the alternative sweetener demand.

Alternative sweeteners in food applications can be used in bulk and on an individual level instead of sucrose or fructose. Due to this, alternate sweeteners are beneficial substitutes for sugar in various commodities, such as chewing gum, sweets, ice cream, baked goods, and fruit spreads. They also work nicely in yogurt, fillings & frostings, canned fruit, and beverages. Moreover, they are used in mouthwashes, toothpaste, and pharmaceuticals, including throat lozenges and cough syrups.

Sugar polyols have a positive impact on one's health. In addition to their distinct functional qualities and clean, sweet flavor, polyols provide significant health advantages. They have fewer calories and do not raise blood sugar levels, a major benefit. Some sugar substitutes, such as xylitol and sorbitol, have anti-cavity properties and prevent tooth decay, making them perfect for toothpaste, mints, and chewing gums. The prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome has increased, and this, combined with increased consumer knowledge, has resulted in the positive growth of alternative sweeteners with lower calorific content. According to IDF, in 2021, 537 million individuals had diabetes. According to projections, this number will increase to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045. Type 2 diabetes is more likely to affect 541 million individuals. In 2021, diabetes claimed 6.7 million lives.

There is also a growing demand for sugar-free food and beverage products as consumers move towards healthier lifestyles and become more aware of their health. According to recent research by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, customers have been purchasing more items over the past ten years that are prepared with artificial sweeteners rather than sugar and high-fructose corn syrup in the United States. Therefore such consumer trends are spurring the growth of the alternative sweetener market. Due to growing health consciousness, various companies are launching sugar-free and low-caloric snacks and beverages using artificial sweeteners, further expanding the demand for these sweeteners. For instance, in April 2023, Planet Bake's launched its product range of Grain-free, sugar-free, vegan doughnuts. The first product line from Planet Bake carefully chooses the healthiest, highest-quality, and most environmentally friendly ingredients without ever compromising taste or texture. Planet Bake's doughnuts are made using allulose for a naturally sweet taste.

Moreover, in March 2023, HighKey, a low-sugar baked foods company, launched a new sugar-free sandwich cookie with two crisp chocolate wafers enclosing a layer of vanilla crème. The company used Erythritol and Allulose as alternate sweeteners.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to hold a significant market share throughout the forecast period. 

Asia Pacific region is anticipated to hold a significant market share in alternative sweeteners. This region will witness high growth during the forecast period owing to the growing health consciousness, increased urbanization, and rising disposable income. Alternate sweeteners are in increasing demand in emerging economies like China and India. The market is expanding in this region due to changing eating patterns and growing demand for low-caloric food and beverages. Since alternate sweeteners do not affect the blood sugar level and make them a great fit for diabetic patients. Therefore the rising prevalence of diabetes in countries such as India and China is propelling demand in this region. According to the statistics presented by the International Diabetes Federation, 8.3 percent of Indian adults, or more than 74 million people, had diabetes in 2021. This number is expected to reach 124.8 million by 2045. 13 percent of Chinese adults, or more than 140 million people, were diagnosed with diabetes in 2021. This number is expected to reach 174.4 million by 2045. Also, the rise of new companies, along with the existence of key market players in Asia Pacific countries, is fueling demand. India, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia are prime markets in the Asia Pacific region.

Market Developments:

• In March 2022, Roquette, an industry leader in plant proteins and pharmaceutical excipients, spent €25 million or US$27.5 million in its Lestrem, France facility to increase liquid and powder polyols production by 2024. The investment aims to provide a consistent flow of polyols.
• In September 2022, researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences discovered natural alternate sweeteners in citrus that can be cultivated worldwide. This significant discovery may open up new opportunities for the food industry to produce foods and drinks with less added sugar while maintaining sweetness and flavor through natural ingredients.
• In August 2022,researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, created an ultrasound-assisted fermentation process to turn bagasse, the leftovers from sugarcane crushing, into the safe sugar replacement "Xylitol." Officials claim that the new approach gets over the operational constraints of chemical synthesis processes and the time lags caused by traditional fermentation.

Market Segmentation:

By Product Type

• High Fructose Syrup
• High-Intensity Sweeteners
• Low-Intensity Sweeteners

By Source

• Natural
• Synthetic

By Application

• Food and Beverages
• Bakery
• Confectionery
• Beverage
• Dairy
• Others
• Pharmaceuticals
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Others
• South America
• Brazil
• Others
• Europe
• Germany
• UK
• France
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Israel
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• China
• Japan
• South Korea
• India
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Indonesia
• Others