Dive Brief:
- More than one-third (34%) of consumers across the globe do not understand the meaning of the term "clean label," according to a new survey from Canadean.
- In the U.S., where the clean label movement is in full force, that number jumps to nearly half (45%), which means manufacturers may need to reconsider their marketing strategies to get the clearest message across to consumers.
- One in 10 consumers said they would pay a 5% or more premium for a "clean label" product, which suggests that those who do understand the meaning of the term also attribute a higher value to products that make that claim.
Dive Insight:
Astudyreleased last year found thatone in five tracked products made a clean label claim, over 17% the year before. The most common clean label applications involved natural sweeteners, natural colors, and thickeners. Recent developments in the food industry align with the clean label movement, including Mars'announcement本月早些时候,它将移除人工colors from all human products in its portfolio, which includes about 50 brands, over the next five years.
Confusion over label terminology can hinder these companies' efforts. Another study from earlier this year demonstratedsimilar confusionover what the term "natural" means on a product label, in part because the term is not regulated by the FDA and therefore can have multiple meanings depending on which company is employing the term. With "clean label" also not regulated at this point, similar issues could arise.
The FDA, however, is making strides to do something about the confusion over "natural," which has led to manylawsuitsagainst food companies over the years. The agency recentlyextendedthe comment period for a definition of "natural" to May 10.
