What is Ferrero’s Thoughtful Treating?

Who doesn’t love a chocolate treat? Whether you’re surprising a friend to mark a special occasion, delighting your family and sharing a favourite product together, or simply treating yourself with a precious ‘me’ moment, a treat is something to be savoured and enjoyed.

At Ferrero, we are passionate about crafting high-quality treats to bring joy to our consumers whilst encouraging responsible consumption, which is in line with our global nutritional principles. We believe that all foods can be eaten in small portions, in moderation as part of a balanced and varied diet and we celebrate this approach through our ‘Thoughtful Treating’ initiative.

We care about the responsible consumption of our products and we have taken thoughtful steps in our approach to treating so that you can enjoy our unique and delicious products responsibly. From when a consumer sees one of our brands on TV or whilst browsing the aisle, to the moment they have one of their favourite products, our ‘Thoughtful Treating’ initiative ensures we consider the whole treating experience.

Why is making thoughtful choices important?

Research* shows that 82% of consumers understand that chocolate is a treat, but what might be lesser known is how often we should be eating treats compared to a snack.

Consultant dietitian, Helen Bond, who is part of the Ferrero ‘Thoughtful Treating’ panel, explains: “Snacks for example, might be eaten on a daily basis and a couple of times throughout the day, so as a guide, I suggest looking around 100kcal per portion. Whereas treats are a treat, eaten with less frequency, so can be a little higher in calories than a snack as they are not designed to be eaten daily. Even when treating though, we should still consider small portions, so I always guide people to look for a treat around the 200kcal mark.”

Helen continues. “Larger helpings can quickly increase the calorie content of a family’s diet, that’s why it’s important to stick to portion size recommendations and opt for smaller sized treats. The more food brands can do to make it easier for shoppers, the better – from helping consumers understand the nutritional and calorie values of their food products, to offering smaller and individually wrapped portions, arming people with the information and tools they need to make thoughtful choices is an important part of the shopper journey.”

Helen shares some of her tips on how to make Thoughtful Choices:

• Plan ahead and opt for small-portioned treats when shopping: when thinking about what to include in a weekly shop, try and plan ahead of time which upcoming moments you’d like to incorporate treats in to. What’s also helpful is to prioritise treats that come in smaller portion sizes and opt for individually wrapped treats to help with those treating occasions.

• Read the labels: check on-pack labels, as they are designed to help you make more informed choices, especially when it comes to portion size and calorie content.

• Make the treating moment special: save the treats for occasional treating moments and make the treating moment a special experience for you and your family.

• Don’t give in to tantrums: don’t give in to the screaming and crying. If your child gets used to having tantrums to get their own way, they will always expect the same treatment.

• Don’t use treats as a reward or punishment: it may seem like a perfectly reasonable thing to do, but you don’t want to convey the wrong messages about treats, as this relationship with food could continue into adulthood.

As Helen has highlighted, taking the time to make simple, Thoughtful Choices can go a long way in helping you to enjoy your favourite treats as part of a balanced and varied diet. However, we must not forget that treating moments should be (and are!) an enjoyable experience.

Savouring those thoughtful moments

Life is all about balance and treating moments are there to be savoured, from celebrating the special occasions during which we enjoy a treat, to the unique flavours of the treat itself.

Interestingly, when it comes to buying chocolate, research* shows that 89% of consumers say that great taste is the number one priority when purchasing chocolate. At Ferrero, our treats offer unique – and often multi-dimensional, experiences that really delight and bring pleasure to those important treating moments.

Professor Barry Smith, founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses, who is also part of our ‘Thoughtful Treating’ panel, explains how a single treat really delivers on the pleasurable experience our consumers are looking for.

“The way we taste determines what we taste. When you take a bite of chocolate, what you’re feeling and experiencing in your mouth is what we call the melt rate. As you first bite into the chocolate it will feel smooth and creamy, but your taste buds will give you a one-dimensional experience and it will only be able to tell you that what you are eating is sweet.

“But, if you slow down, the heat of your mouth will release the extra flavours and activate your tastebuds, and you might notice that now, your sense of smell has kicked in. Interestingly, it’s not the traditional way you think of smell. It’s actually when the aromas that are released in your mouth as you eat travel to the back of your throat and up through your nose, and when you swallow, you are pushing the smell to your nose. It’s at this point that it combines with taste and you get flavour.”

As Barry explains, the key is to savour, and the trick with tasting is to slow down and to notice how much is happening and unfolding in each bite.

Watch the video below to learn more about how to make the most of these moments thoughtfully.

Responsible communication about our products

Whilst savouring the treating moment and portion size are important, it’s equally important that companies are responsible and thoughtful when connecting with consumers as these connections can help to support them in making informed decisions when enjoying their treats.

Interestingly, research** has shown that 64% of parents think that confectionery companies have an important role to play in offering guidance and support on how to include their products in a balanced diet, and 36% say that they would like to see more information on how to choose a treat for themselves and their families.

We aim to help consumers make informed choices and always communicate and connect with consumers thoughtfully and responsibly. That’s why we have clear nutritional information on pack, and we take care to show our products being consumed in moderation in all our advertising and marketing communications, whether it’s a bar of Kinder chocolate, a Ferrero Rocher, or a Thorntons Pearl.

Looking ahead

In today’s fast-paced lives, it’s all too easy to forget to take a moment to savour those special treating moments.

With some of the tips from our ‘Treat Panel’, such as choosing small, individually wrapped portions and really slowing down to enjoy the flavour and taste of the chocolate, you can enjoy your favourite treats in moderation.

We feel privileged that our brands like Kinder and Ferrero Rocher have become family favourites across the UK. With this comes a responsibility to make products that have quality at heart, delivering not only great taste but products that are produced in line with our nutritional principles and with Thoughtful Treating in mind.

References

*MMR, 2021
** OnePoll, 2022