Nestlé UK & Ireland has unveiled ‘Milkybar Wowsomes’, the first chocolate bar in the world to use the company’s new manufacturing process that allows products to retain their sweetness but contain significantly less sugar.

Nestlé researchers made a scientific breakthrough in 2016 when they transformed the structure of sugar through a newly developed process using only natural ingredients. Said to be inspired by candy floss, experts created aerated, porous particles of sugar that dissolve more quickly in the mouth. This allows someone to perceive the same level of sweetness as before while consuming less sugar.

Nestlé claims the new technology means Milkybar Wowsomes have 30% less sugar than similar chocolate products and contains no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colours or flavourings. The gluten free bar has milk as its main ingredient and contains crispy oat cereal pieces. It will appear in stores across the UK and Ireland in the coming weeks in single bars, multipacks and a stock-up bag.

Stefano Agostini, CEO of Nestlé UK & Ireland said: “It is with great pride that the UK and Ireland becomes the first market in the world to use this exciting technology to create such a great tasting confectionery product. We have an unrivalled research and development network and the experts at our Product Technology Centre in York have been instrumental in this breakthrough. Teams across our UK business and around the world have been working incredibly hard to make this launch a reality.”

Scott de Martinville, head of Nestlé’s global research and development, added: “It has been a real challenge for us to get to this stage. To create a confectionery product in just 12 months which has 30% less sugar than similar chocolate products and contains no artificial sweeteners is extraordinary.”

The company said more low-sugar products were in the pipeline using the new technique.

Amid government pressure on manufacturers to make their products healthier, Nestlé has taken out more than 60 billion calories and 2.6 billion teaspoons of sugar from across its food and drink portfolio in the last three years.