SWEDEN: Raisio´s Benecol goes on sale in Sweden

Raisio, the Finnish producer of Benecol margarine, will be augmenting its consumer base next week, with its products becoming available on the Swedish market.Benecol, a low fat margarine that the company claims has cholesterol-lowering qualities, will be produced and marketed on the Swedish market by Raisio´s Swedish subsidiary, Carlshamns Mejeri. The product will be on sale in ordinary food stores and carry a retail price slightly above 30 Skr for a 250 grammes package.The Benecol margarine has a fat content of only 32%, of which 5% is saturated fat, the company said.For three years Raisio has tried to enter the Swedish market, but the marketing regulations concerning such functional food products as the Benecol range have, to date, prevented the company from launching its products. Swedish regulators have now agreed that Benecol margarine is to be marketed as containing "ingredients for a lower intake of cholesterol." Packaging will not say that the product will actually lower the cholesterol of the consumer."In Sweden, we will give the Benecol range more the image of life-style products. In other countries we are emphasising the medicinal aspects of the product more than we will do here," said Per-Anders Nilsson at Carlshamns Mejeri. As well as the margarine, the Benecol range contains yoghurt and fresh cheese products. These are currently on sale in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Ireland, the U.S. and Belgium.