Polyol Sweeteners Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Polyol Sweeteners Market is projected to expand from USD 6.13 Billion in 2025 to USD 9.31 Billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 7.21%. Commonly referred to as sugar alcohols, these carbohydrate-derived additives - including sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol - serve as low-calorie, reduced-glycemic sugar substitutes. This growth is primarily fueled by the increasing global incidence of diabetes and obesity, which creates a critical need for non-cariogenic and insulin-independent sweeteners in food production. Furthermore, the unique technical capacity of polyols to function as humectants and bulking agents facilitates their use in confectionery and pharmaceutical products, providing functional advantages beyond simple sweetness. Data from Starch Europe indicates that in 2024, the European sector produced 9.8 million tonnes of starch and starch derivatives, guaranteeing a substantial and reliable feedstock supply for large-scale polyol manufacturing.

Despite this positive growth trend, the market encounters a major hurdle regarding gastrointestinal tolerance, as consuming high amounts of specific polyols can trigger laxative effects and digestive distress. This physiological constraint forces regulatory agencies to require warning labels and necessitates that manufacturers limit usage levels, thereby restricting the capacity of these sweeteners to act as comprehensive, high-volume sucrose substitutes across all consumer goods.

Market Drivers

The escalating global prevalence of diabetes and obesity serves as a primary driver for the global polyol sweeteners market. As health consciousness increases, consumers are actively seeking low-glycemic substitutes for sucrose to manage blood glucose and weight. Polyols such as erythritol and xylitol are crucial in this transition because they offer the requisite sweetness and bulking characteristics without the high caloric density of traditional sugars. This health-oriented demand is supported by concerning disease statistics that urge food manufacturers to reformulate products using insulin-independent ingredients; according to the International Diabetes Federation, approximately 589 million adults globally were living with diabetes in 2024, highlighting the urgent need for diabetic-friendly food formulations.

Stringent government regulations and sugar reduction mandates further speed up market growth by compelling the industry to adopt non-nutritive sweeteners. Governments worldwide are enacting fiscal policies, such as sugar taxes and front-of-pack labeling laws, to lower excessive sugar consumption and alleviate public health issues. These legislative pressures leave manufacturers with little alternative but to incorporate polyols, which provide functional versatility in maintaining texture and mouthfeel in reformulated beverages and confectionery. The World Health Organization noted in April 2024 that 108 countries had established national taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages to deter high-sugar intake. Consequently, major ingredient suppliers are expanding their sugar-reduction portfolios to adhere to these regulations; for instance, Tate & Lyle PLC reported in its 'Annual Report 2024' (May 2024) that its low- and no-calorie sweeteners and fibers have eliminated 7.9 million tonnes of sugar from consumer diets since March 2020.

Market Challenges

The main impediment hindering the growth of the Global Polyol Sweeteners Market is the issue of gastrointestinal tolerance. Since polyol molecules are only partially absorbed in the small intestine, excessive consumption inevitably results in colonic fermentation, leading to gas, bloating, and laxative effects. This physiological limitation obliges food and beverage manufacturers to limit the inclusion rates of these ingredients to prevent consumer discomfort, effectively blocking polyols from acting as 1:1 bulk replacements for sucrose in high-volume products. Moreover, the regulatory mandate for warning labels regarding these laxative effects generates a negative perception, causing health-conscious buyers to hesitate before purchasing items containing these additives.

This caution regarding potential adverse reactions directly diminishes the total addressable market volume. According to the International Food Information Council, 31% of consumers who reduced or ceased their intake of low- and no-calorie sweeteners in 2024 cited safety concerns as a primary motivation. This statistic highlights a critical retention issue; even as the demand for sugar reduction accelerates, the market cannot fully capitalize on this trend because the physical side effects of polyols deter a significant segment of the consumer base. Consequently, manufacturers are restricted to using these sweeteners in smaller quantities or niche applications, thereby stunting the overall expansion of the industry.

Market Trends

The transition toward plant-based and natural polyol sourcing is fundamentally reshaping the market as manufacturers increasingly prioritize sustainable feedstock procurement to meet clean-label consumer demands. Rather than relying solely on conventional starch derivatives, major producers are moving to regenerative agricultural supply chains to lower the carbon footprint of ingredients like erythritol and sorbitol. This trend extends beyond simple natural origin claims to focus deeply on the environmental impact of the agricultural practices used to cultivate corn and wheat feedstocks. According to ADM's annual regenerative agriculture report in September 2025, the company engaged more than 5 million acres in regenerative farming practices, achieving its 2025 sustainability goal a year early and securing a large-scale, eco-friendly supply chain for its ingredient portfolio.

At the same time, the industry is seeing a strong trend toward formulating synergistic blends of polyols and high-intensity sweeteners to resolve the functional limitations of single ingredients. To replicate the exact temporal profile and mouthfeel of sucrose, suppliers are shifting away from selling isolated polyols and are instead engineering sophisticated systems that combine the bulking properties of sugar alcohols with the potency of stevia or monk fruit. This solutions-oriented approach enables manufacturers to mask off-notes and cooling effects, thereby driving higher adoption rates in reformulation projects. This demand for complex systems is evident in financial performance; according to Ingredion Incorporated's 'Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results' from February 2025, the company's Texture & Healthful Solutions segment delivered double-digit sales volume growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, highlighting the rapid industrial uptake of these advanced sweetener formulations.

Key Players Profiled in the Polyol Sweeteners Market

• Archer Daniels Midland Company
• Cargill, Inc.
• Ingredion Incorporated
• Roquette Freres S.A.
• International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
• Tereos S.A.
• Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG
• B Food Science Co., Ltd.
• BENEO GmbH
• DuPont de Nemours, Inc.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Polyol Sweeteners Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Polyol Sweeteners Market, by Type:

• Sorbitol
• Erythritol
• Maltitol
• Mannitol
• lactitol
• Isomalt
• Xylitol
• Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate and Others

Polyol Sweeteners Market, by Form:

• Powder/Crystal and Liquid/Syrup

Polyol Sweeteners Market, by Application:

• Beverages
• Bakery & Confectionery
• Dairy
• Oral Care
• Pharmaceuticals and Others

Polyol Sweeteners Market, by Function:

• Bulking Agents
• Flavouring or Sweetening Agents
• Excipients
• Humectants and Others

Polyol Sweeteners Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Polyol Sweeteners Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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