3.2.2. Healthiness: Changes in Mean Sugar Content

Information on the mean sugar content across the five years for all products and for PL and BL products separately, as well as in their value ranges, is available in Table S4 (Supplementary file). Figure 2 shows the change in sugar content from 2015 to 2019.

**Figure 2.** Mean sugar changes in the period 2015–2019 according to brand (overall and by food categories): supermarket private labels (**A**) and branded labels (**B**).

Overall, there were no significant changes in mean sugar content within all BL products and there was a significant mean sugar [g/100 g (95% CI)] reduction of −1.87 (−3.3; −0.04) within all PL products (average percentage change of −11.2%). At the food category level, two PL categories significantly reduced sugar content over time, i.e., canned fruit, and peanut butter and other nut-based spreads reduced mean sugar content by, respectively [g/100 g (95%CI)]: −2.02 (−3.20; −0.84) and −5.94 (−10.68; −1.20), corresponding to an average percentage drop of >10%. The mean sugar content of everyday sliced breads increased over time by 1.21 g/100 g (95%CI: 0.60; 1.83), (Figure 2A). Four BL food categories significantly reduced sugar content over time, i.e., breakfast cereals and pasta sauces reduced mean sugar content by [g/100 g (95%CI)]: −1.31 (−2.60; −0.04) and −5.26 (−9.01; −1.44), respectively, corresponding to an average percentage drop of >10%. Branded label cereal bars and ice-creams showed a mean sugar reduction of [g/100 g (95%CI)]: −2.49 (−4.10; −0.89) and −1.67 (−2.44; −0.91), respectively, corresponding to an average percentage drop of <10%. Across the five years, BL savoury biscuits increased mean sugar content by 0.59 g/100 g (0.06; 1.10) (Figure 2B).
