Asda has revealed that it will reduce the added sugar in its range of own label soft drinks by 22% as part of moves by the supermarkets, in partnership with the government’s Change4Life campaign, to reduce sugar consumption by consumers in the UK.

This builds on a 10% sugar reduction Asda made in its own label high juice products last year, with the latest move seeing the chain remove 3.25 billion calories and 814.2 tonnes of sugar from 26 of its products by May.

Public Health England’s latest Change4Life campaign is encouraging families to cut down their sugar intake by switching to products containing less sugar. Asda has already undertaken to reduce sugar in its own label products, including removing almost a tonne of sugar from its own label yogurt drinks and 25 tonnes of sugar from its Smartprice Corn Flakes – a 58% reduction in sugar.

Hayley Marson, Asda’s company nutritionist, said: “We are continually looking at ways to make it easier for our shoppers to make healthy choices, while still preserving the great taste that our customers know and love. Today marks an important milestone in our work to find new ways to make our products healthier.”

Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said: “This is an excellent step forward to encourage people to choose healthier drinks. I welcome this move and encourage other businesses to follow suit.”

Last November Sainsbury’s revealed that it had reduced the sugar content of its own label drinks, as part of its drive to offer healthier products. The group said it has reduced sugar content of its ‘by Sainsbury’s’ 1 litre high juice squash drinks by 946 tonnes annually (equivalent to 3.7 billion calories); the content of its ‘by Sainsbury’s’ Lemonade and Cola by 1,309 tonnes (5.2bn calories), and the content of its adult socialising long life juice drinks by 12 tonnes.