Walkers Baked is supporting the Food Standards Agency's saturated fat campaign, which launches on February 9th. Walkers Baked will support the campaign with new messaging1 on packs of Walkers Baked, which contain 50% less saturated fat than ordinary Walkers crisps.2
The FSA-approved messaging, which will be seen by a projected 4.5 million people, will highlight the importance of a balanced diet and refer consumers to the FSA's website for information and tips on how to lower their saturated fat consumption.
Walkers, part of PepsiCo, has invested more than £12 million pounds to transform its portfolio, reformulating existing products to make them as healthy as possible without compromising on taste and launching new healthier snack foods.
A major part of this investment was in developing Sunseed(tm) oil, a cooking oil which is lower in saturates and higher in mono-unsaturates than traditional crisp cooking oils.
Since 2007, all Walkers crisps and snacks have been made using Sunseed oil, lowering the saturated fat content of Walkers crisps and snacks including Quavers, Monster Munch, French Fries and Squares by up to 80%3. A 25g bag of standard Walkers crisps typically contains around 0.7g of saturated fat.
As well as transforming its existing products and introducing Walkers Baked, Walkers has also introduced Walkers Lights4 and SunBites5 which are both lower in total and saturated fat than regular potato crisps.
Richard Evans, Chief Executive of Walkers said:
"Since 2003, we have reduced saturated fat across our range of crisps and snacks by up to 80%, removing an estimated 40,000 tonnes of saturates from the British diet. We are proud to support the FSA's Saturated Fat Campaign."
Notes to editors:
1. Walkers Baked FSA-approved on pack messaging:
"At Walkers we love making snacks that taste great, but our work doesn't stop there. We know that a balanced diet is important too, which is why you'll find these Walkers Baked are 70% lower in total fat and 50% lower in saturated fat than ordinary Walkers crisps, and why we continue to support the Food Standards Agency's campaign to lower saturated fat consumption. Learn more at www.eatwell.gov.uk."
2. Walkers Baked contain 70% less fat and 50% less saturated fat than ordinary Walkers crisps. A 25g pack typically contains around 0.4g saturated fat, or 2% of an adult's guideline daily amount (GDA) and contains fewer than 100 Calories. Walkers Baked are free from MSG, preservatives and artificial colours. Over 26.5 million packs of Walkers Baked were consumed in 2008.
3. Walkers' saturated fat reduction timeline:
2004 - 2006: Walkers phases in use of SunseedTM into its core crisp range, achieving a 10% saturates reduction in the first year, a 30% reduction in the second and a total reduction of 80% by 2006 (versus 2003).
2007: Walkers introduces SunseedTM for all remaining products in its portfolio, including Quavers, Monster Munch, Squares and French Fries.
Today, a 25g pack of Walkers Crisps typically contains less than 0.7g saturated fat, or 4% GDA, and a 34.5g pack typically contains 0.9g saturated fat, or 5% GDA.
4. Walkers Lights are traditional crisps that contain 30% less fat than standard potato crisps. A 24g pack typically contains less than 0.5g saturated fat, or 3% GDA.
5. SunBites are a wholegrain snack that contain 30% less fat than regular crisps and contain a third of the suggested daily amount of wholegrain (based on 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans). A 28g pack typically contains less than 0.6g saturated fat, or 3% GDA.
About PepsiCoPepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, with 2007 annual revenues of more than $39 billion. The company employs approximately 185,000 people worldwide, and its products are sold in approximately 200 countries. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. The PepsiCo portfolio includes 18 brands that generate $1 billion or more each in annual retail sales. PepsiCo's commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose, is focused on generating healthy financial returns while giving back to communities the company serves. This includes meeting consumer needs for a spectrum of convenient foods and beverages, reducing the company's impact on the environment through water, energy and packaging initiatives, and supporting its employees through a diverse and inclusive culture that recruits and retains world-class talent. As a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America), PepsiCo is a recognized leader in sustainability. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.
