Quiz: how well do you know the sugar business?

How much do you know about the sugar you’re consuming? Photograph: Remko de Waal/AFP/Getty Images

1. Candy Industry Magazine compiles an annual ranking of the 100 top candy companies in the world, based on estimated net sales, workforce size and number of plants. Which big brand didn’t make it into this year’s top five?

   1. Haribo

   2. Ferrero

   3. Mondelez

   4. Mars

2. The US Food and Drug Administration created a new labeling rule that requires food manufacturers to specify how much added sugar they use. The label will show the added sugar in what metric?

   1. Calories

   2. Grams

   3. Percentage of total carbohydrates

   4. Percentage of total sugars

3. Beverages contribute the biggest share of added sugar consumption by Americans, according to the federal dietary guidelines. What percentage is that?

   1. 58%

   2. 63%

   3. 39%

   4. 47%

4. As the health risks of sugar become more widely understood, sales of soft drinks in the US have dropped over the past five years to reach how much?

   1. $35.7bn

   2. $18.9bn

   3. $26.3bn

   4. $42.8bn

5. Meanwhile, Americans are spending more money on all types of water, including sparkling and distilled varieties. What’s the size of this water market?

   1. $12.5bn

   2. $21.7bn

   3. $35.1bn

   4. $9.8bn

6. More than 90% of Americans snack at least once a day – half of adults do so two or three times daily. What snack treat generates the biggest revenue for its sellers?

   1. Cookies

   2. Chocolate

   3. Crackers

   4. Gum

7. Which type of sweets generate the least revenue in the US?

   1. Crackers

   2. Snack/granola bars

   3. Non-chocolate candy

   4. Gum

8. Easter has replaced Halloween as the biggest American holiday for candy sales. What’s the sales forecast for Easter this year, according to the National Retail Federation?

   1. $2.6bn

   2. $3.1bn

   3. $4.5bn

   4. $5.1bn

9. The US Dietary Guidelines says a healthy daily calorie consumption should include no more than what percent of added sugar?

   1. 15%

   2. 5%

   3. 10%

   4. 20%

10. Researchers have assembled a profile of American adults who are particularly susceptible to the lure of sugary food and drinks. Which characteristics best describe American adults who consume the most added sugar?

    1. Never graduated from college

    2. Physically inactive

    3. Current smokers

    4. All of the above

Solutions

1:A, 2:B, 3:D, 4:C, 5:A, 6:B, 7:D, 8:A, 9:C, 10:D

Scores