Consumers who want to reduce their fat and caloric intake can safely head for the candy aisle.
At least that's what candy manufacturers hope they will do in response to savvy new packaging that boasts "low-fat," "no-fat" and "reduced calorie."
Today's packaging often promotes the healthier aspects of the product. Packages of Dream candy bars, by Sorbee, for instance, tout that it has just 3 grams of fat and 90 calories per serving. And Sweet Escapes, by Hershey, proclaims, "45% less fat." Manufacturers of a variety of soft and hard candies, most of which never had fat to begin with, have begun to capitalize on their offerings, proudly displaying "low-fat" or "nonfat" on front labels.
Laydown bags of Smucker's Jelly Beans by Brach's, for instance, have "a fat-free food" printed on the label, while a variety of laydown Black Forest gummy products have "fat-free" printed in large letters in the upper right-hand corner of the package.
Twizzlers, by Hershey, is packaged in bags with "a low-fat candy" printed on it, while Brach's Wild n' Fruity dessert mints feature "a fat-free food" clearly on the front. There's also Sunkist fruit gems, which feature the words "100% fat-free" clearly on the package, and Tootsie Roll, which has "a low-fat candy" tag directly in the center of the package.
York Peppermint Patties have gone a step further, printing "a low-fat food" in both the upper right and lower left corners.
Some manufacturers are merchandising their selections in a hot area of the supermarket for low-fat foods -- the produce department. Quality Food Centers, Bellevue, Wash., for instance, is merchandising selected products from Liberty Orchard in its produce department. The Cashmere, Wash.-based Liberty manufactures several varieties of fruit-shaped chewy snacks, including Aplets and Cotlets and Fruit Softees.
