At Dabur, we are committed to crafting products that offer maximum benefits to consumers with minimal impact on the planet. Marrying the traditional knowledge of Ayurveda with modern-day science, Dabur has created an array of products that offer holistic health and well-being to our consumers. While moving forward on this mission, we give equal importance to Sustainable Innovation with a clear focus on decarbonization, circularity, enhancing biodiversity, and water management. At Dabur, we believe that innovation should generate economic benefits while having a positive environmental and social impact.
In our Home and Personal Care portfolio, many of our innovations are focused on improving the sustainability profile by using natural ingredients (instead of petrochemical derivatives), reduced hazardous chemicals with maximum consumer benefits. Some of our new launches in Skin Care and Hair Care categories, for instance, are free from harmful chemicals like phthalate, parabens, etc. and contains natural ingredients, enabling us to reduce their environmental impact while improving product quality.
Some examples include Fem Handwash (which is based on plant-based ingredients), Oxylife Tan Removal Cream (made by using natural ingredients), and Cool King Thanda Oil (with natural and ayurvedic actives, offering consumers the benefit of relaxation). In our Air Freshener portfolio, Odonil water-based spray is a greener product with less usage of petrochemicals, aligning with our commitment of reducing hazardous chemicals.
In the Healthcare segment, our traditional products contain natural ingredients and herbs that promote a healthy lifestyle. We also offer a range of natural alternatives to chemical-based medications. By promoting a more sustainable and ecofriendly approach to healthcare, we strive to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities..
In our Foods & beverages division, we are committed to reducing sugar content in our products without compromising on taste or quality. This demonstrates our commitment to promoting healthier options for our consumers. A range of variants of Real Activ juice with NO ADDED SUGAR have been launched, namely, Real Activ Cranberry, Real Activ Pomegranate. We are continuously working towards making our products from 100% locally sourced ingredients, which minimises transportation costs, promotes local farmers by opening up a sustainable source of income for them, and reduces our carbon footprint.
Dabur Vedic Tea, which is a unique combination of CTC, Orthodox, Green Cutters, 5 different herbs & Quath (Concoction of 30+ ayurvedic Herbs), offers the perfect balance of health and taste. This unique innovation is a first of its kind in the entire tea category.
Overall, our focus on promoting social well-being and reducing environmental impacts through product innovation demonstrates our commitment to a healthier and more sustainable future.
Reducing Added Sugar Content in Products
Under the Eat Right India movement, spearheaded by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Dabur India Limited had committed to reduce by 10% the added sugar in over 50% of our beverages lineup. By March 31, 2022, we had voluntarily surpassed this goal, achieving a remarkable 14.43% reduction in added sugar from our 2018 benchmark three years ahead of schedule.
Dabur India Limited embarked on its reformulation journey in 2019, by focusing on reducing sugar levels in its Real range of fruit juices and beverages. We adopted a phased approach, starting with the Top 5 best-selling variants between 2019 and 2020, which comprised around 80% of our offerings. Through this initiative, we successfully lowered sugar content by an average of 5.4% across two-thirds of our beverage range by 2020.
Continuing our efforts, the second phase (from 2020 to 2021) expanded to include the Top 7 highest-selling beverage variants, covering approximately 90% of our portfolio. In this phase, we achieved a further reduction of 7.47% in sugar content across 50% of our beverage lineup by 2021, compared to 2018 levels.
Moving into the third phase (spanning 2021 to 2022), we focused on the Top 8 highest-selling variants, constituting around 90% of our portfolio. This phase resulted in an additional 6.77% reduction in sugar content across 50% of our offerings by 2022, compared to 2018 levels.
Overall, our efforts have led to a significant 20.95% reduction in added sugar from the 2018 baseline, equating to approximately 1,300 metric tons of reduced sugar consumption annually. In addition, as part of our commitment to promoting healthier choices, we adjusted serving sizes from 200ml to 180ml and from 160ml to 140ml and launched the Real Mini range (110 ml aseptic packs), keeping in mind affordability of the product while encouraging optimal consumption.
We are now embarking on Phase 4 of our sugar reduction initiative, aiming to achieve an average 3% reduction in added sugar across two-thirds of our beverage portfolio.
Annual Report 2023-24