With 7000 exhibitors, 155 000 visitors from across the world, hundreds of buyers and chefs from all countries and sectors, 189 innovations competing for the SIAL Innovation Awards and 15 winners across the different categories, the International Food Exhibition, held in Paris in October 2016, was a real global showcase of what we can expect to see on supermarket shelves over the next few years. Statistics aside, it was also an opportunity to observe the underlying trends inspiring manufacturers.
Optimising nutrition
Obesity is affecting more and more people. According to the WHO1, in 2014, 1.9 billion people across the world were overweight or obese, mainly due to inadequate nutrition and a decrease in physical activity. As far as products are concerned, manufacturers are developing better-balanced recipes, notably by reducing the quantity of sugar, salt and certain fats. If this strong trend continues, the worldwide market for sugar substitutes is expected to rise from 13.26 billion dollars in 2015 to 16.53 billion in 2020 (a growth of over 4.5% a year), and that of salt substitutes will reach 1.24 billion dollars in 2020 (a growth of over 11% a year)2. The global market for fat substitutes (based on carbohydrates, proteins or vegetable oils, for example) should reach 2.6 billion dollars in 20203.
