Health costs more: sugar-free products are much more expensive Israel today

This week the world celebrates Diabetes Day, following the increase in the diagnosis of diabetes cases worldwide.

The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of diabetes, its treatment and prevention.

Diabetes is a common disease, which in order to deal with it requires a healthy lifestyle, and especially a diet adapted to those who suffer from it.

According to estimates, there are about half a million type 2 diabetics living in Israel. The Ministry of Health requires labeling of products high in sugar (as well as sodium and fat).

Those who maintain a healthy lifestyle know how expensive a healthy basket can be.

A test conducted by the Consumer Council on the occasion of Diabetes Day through Pricez shows that sugar-free products can be significantly more expensive than the same manufacturer's regular products.

Pay more, photo: Yehoshua Yosef

A comparison of the same basket, which includes 15 products, shows that the gap between the prices of the baskets is 17% - NIS 192.30 for the healthy basket compared to NIS 163.77 - but there are also products that can reach a gap of about 93%: Man's lemon waffle pack, for example, costs NIS 4.44 - compared to NIS 8.55 for a package

without sugar.

The differences are big

Here are some more examples: Waters Original candies without sugar cost NIS 8.65 - a difference of 64% from the regular ones, which cost NIS 5.28;

In the Silan of Tami HaGalil there is a gap of 68% - 23.61 s compared to 14.03 s;

In Heinz ketchup there is a gap of 41% - 10.81 s compared to 7.68 s;

In Yakhin's sweet corn kernels there is a gap of 29% - 9.92 s compared to 7.70 s;

In Arcade's Moroccan cookies there is a gap of 26% - 18.30 NIS compared to 14.55 NIS;

In Wok's sweet chili sauce there is a gap of 10% - 10.90 NIS compared to 9.12 NIS;

And Yakin's raspberry syrup has a gap of 17% - 17.56 NIS for the sugar-free product compared to 14.95 NIS for the regular product.

On the other hand, there are also examples of small gaps.

For example - in Alpro soy drink there is no difference at all, and both products cost NIS 13.87;

And in Thelma's Branflex it is a difference of 2% - 21.53 NIS for the regular product compared to 22.02 NIS for the product without sugar.

There are no more options

The Consumer Council says that since it is a health need, those who must avoid sugar do not have many other options.

There are many reasons why the products are more expensive - a separate production line, the adjustment of the components to the standards, less demand, etc. - so the recommendation of the Consumer Council to always examine alternative products to reduce the price of the basket is less relevant to the captive consumer, whose only choice is not to buy, since, As mentioned, the differences can even reach 93%.

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