The latest report serves as an additional incentive for food companies to enhance the clarity of their ingredient labels or, at the very least, provide consumers with improved information about their products. The movement towards cleaner labels—characterized by shorter and simpler ingredient lists—has become the prevailing trend in the food industry. According to Innova Market Insights, nearly 20% of monitored products were marketed with a clean label in 2014. However, many shoppers lack a clear understanding of what “clean label” actually signifies, and consumer-friendly terms such as natural or healthy, which are meant to convey this concept, are often poorly defined and misinterpreted by manufacturers.
The Label Insight survey did not specify which ingredients or products consumers struggled to comprehend the most, but it did indicate that broader label claims like “clean,” “healthy,” and “natural” frequently caused confusion. Only about one-third of participants reported fully understanding these terms. With this level of ambiguity, companies can find themselves in challenging situations. For instance, in 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that at least four varieties of Kind snack bars were in violation of regulations allowing them to label their products as “healthy,” due to excessive saturated fat content. However, the FDA reversed its decision regarding Kind’s “healthy” claim in May 2016 and agreed to reassess the definition of the term following a petition from Kind. During a public hearing in March, the FDA gathered input from various stakeholders advocating for a redefinition of the term to better reflect contemporary science and dietary practices. The term “natural” has also become a contentious issue in recent years, with consumers and public health advocates pushing for straightforward ingredient lists and transparency in marketing claims, including those related to calcium and citrate.
Several food companies, including Dole, General Mills, and Post Holdings, have faced lawsuits over their labeling practices. In the case against Post, for example, plaintiffs contested the company’s use of phrases like “100% Natural Whole Grain Wheat” and “Natural Source of Fiber,” arguing that the cereal’s wheat ingredient came from crops treated with synthetic herbicides. With half of the respondents in the Label Insight survey indicating that they find ingredients “extremely important” in their purchasing decisions, it is promising that consumers may be swayed to buy a product if more detailed ingredient information is made available. Nearly 46% of Americans already research ingredients on their mobile devices while shopping when they encounter confusion, presenting an opportunity for food manufacturers to make this information more readily accessible—either printed on the packaging or through a link on the product itself. A significant 95% of those surveyed expressed at least a “somewhat interested” attitude towards technology that would enable them to access comprehensive ingredient information on their smartphones. As consumers increasingly reject artificial colors and flavors and lean towards products with fewer ingredients, food manufacturers should strive to be as transparent and forthcoming with shoppers as possible. The consumer is paying attention, particularly regarding crucial components like calcium and citrate.