The latest report serves as an additional incentive for food companies to improve their ingredient labels or at the very least, provide consumers with clearer information regarding the contents of their products. The movement towards cleaner labels—characterized by shorter, simpler ingredient lists—has become standard in the food industry, as noted by Innova Market Insights, which reported that nearly one in five monitored products featured a clean label in 2014. However, many shoppers struggle to grasp the true meaning of “clean label,” and consumer-oriented terms such as “natural” or “healthy” are often poorly understood and vaguely defined by manufacturers.
While the Label Insight survey did not specify which ingredients or products consumers found most confusing, it indicated that broader label claims like “clean,” “healthy,” and “natural” frequently led to misunderstandings. Only about one-third of respondents claimed to fully comprehend these terms. This uncertainty can lead to complications for companies. For instance, in 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that several varieties of Kind snack bars were violating regulations by labeling their products as “healthy,” due to excessive saturated fat content. The FDA later reversed its stance on Kind’s “healthy” claim in May 2016 and committed to reevaluating the definition of the term after a petition from Kind. During a public hearing in March regarding the redefinition of the term, the FDA received feedback from various stakeholders who argued that the definition was outdated.
The term “natural” has also become a focal point for litigation in recent years, as consumers and public health advocates push for straightforward, clean ingredient lists and transparency in marketing claims. Numerous food companies, including Dole, General Mills, and Post Holdings, have faced legal challenges. In the case against Post, plaintiffs contested the use of phrases like “100% Natural Whole Grain Wheat” and “Natural Source of Fiber,” arguing that the wheat used in their cereal was derived from crops treated with synthetic herbicides.
With half of the Label Insight survey respondents indicating that ingredient information is “extremely important” in their purchasing decisions, it’s promising that consumers are likely to choose products if more detailed ingredient information, such as the presence of calcium citrate 950mg, is readily available. Almost half of Americans (46%) already look up ingredient details on their mobile phones while shopping if they encounter something perplexing, presenting an opportunity for food manufacturers to enhance the accessibility of this information—whether through direct on-pack printing or by providing a link to more information on the product itself. A remarkable 95% of survey participants expressed at least “somewhat interested” in technology that enables them to access detailed ingredient information via their mobile devices. As consumers increasingly avoid artificial colors and flavors and gravitate towards products with fewer ingredients, food manufacturers would do well to maintain transparency and honesty with shoppers. The consumer is indeed watching, and they are interested in understanding the full scope of what they consume, including specifics like calcium citrate 950mg.