‘Substance over style’ and ‘360° transparency’ are the new priorities for today’s confident European shopper, according to a new exclusive preview report launched at Food Ingredients Europe 2019.
‘Substance over style’ and ‘360° transparency’ are the new priorities for today’s confident European shopper, according to a new exclusive preview report launched at Food Ingredients Europe 2019.
New research conducted on behalf of lngredion shows we are now living in the age of clean label, with consumers’ scrutiny of products extending beyond the label and ingredients, pushing and expanding the definition of clean label to include issues such as packaging, food waste and sourcing.
‘The Age of Clean Label’ report draws together the views of European consumers and leading food and beverage manufacturers across the UK, Germany, France and Poland. It looks at how the definition of clean label is evolving, the hard truths of the new clean label landscape, and what this means for manufacturers.
Charlotte Commarmond, Senior Director of Marketing and Innovation, Ingredion EMEA, commented: “Clean label is now an undeniable and established trend, and one which presents a growing opportunity for our industry. While our ongoing research reveals that different markets are at different stages of their clean label journey, what is clear is that consumer confidence is growing with ethical sourcing, food waste and unnecessary packaging now an important part of the equation.
“Shopper scrutiny is going beyond the ingredients list and building trust with consumers in the new age of clean label means manufacturers must come clean on all areas of product development. For example, the new research revealed that a product’s physical appearance has become a significant influence, with 39% of consumers saying they look for transparent (see-through) packaging to help decide which products will go in their basket. But the appetite for transparency doesn’t stop there for today’s information-hungry consumers; 360° transparency is becoming a ‘must-have’ for everyone across the supply chain and we expect to this rise over the next few years.
“One clear and fundamental challenge that remains for our industry is one of clarity over what is and what isn’t clean label. Consumers are wising up and becoming increasingly confident about what they want and a lack of certainty can create barriers to purchase. It’s becoming the elephant in the room and one which the industry needs to address. We are already working on some ideas in this space and look forward to sharing them in 2020.”
This exclusive preview unveils three of the key themes shaping the landscape in the age of clean label;
Clean label redefined: Consumers are looking for total transparency from the food and beverage industry. This trend is on the rise, with 62% of European consumers stating that their interest in how food is sourced, produced and packaged has increased in the last two years. However, manufacturers need to consider that not all markets are at the same stage of their clean label journey and they will need to align accordingly.
The hard truths: Consumers want – and can recognise – substance over style. A product’s physical appearance has become a significant influence. However, attractive on-pack designs with natural colours and idyllic imagery rated lowest on purchasing influence. Savvy shoppers want full disclosure – quite literally, with a marked preference for transparent (see-through) packaging.
What this means for manufacturers: While consumer tastes and trends move fast, clean label ingredients can help make new product development quicker. As well as reducing undesirable ingredients, 27% of consumers also think manufacturers should focus on reducing packaging waste as a top priority. Producers need to show environmentally-conscious consumers that their food has been produced and packaged, sustainably and ethically.
The new research was conducted on behalf of leading global ingredients solutions provider Ingredion in June 2019 and consists of qualitative and quantitative opinions of over 1600 consumers and in-depth interviews with leading food and beverage multinationals and SMEs.
In the food and beverage industry, the clean label trend is well-established among manufacturers and consumers alike. In our latest research report, we examine the latest consumer clean label research, as well as insight from leading food and beverage manufacturers, to explore how the definition of clean label has shifted, and what the next steps should be for our industry.
Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With annual net sales of nearly $6 billion, the Company turns grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing and industrial markets. With Ingredion Idea Labs® innovation centres around the world and more than 11,000 employees, the Company co-creates with customers and fulfils its purpose of bringing together the potential of people, nature and technology to create ingredient solutions that make life better.