Dive Brief:
- Gladson, provider of digital product content and related services for consumer goods, said in a recent report that the number of products labeled gluten-free out of its 600,000 product database increased 61% from 2013 to 2015.
- Organic products in the database jumped 77%, and products labeled with allergen claims also saw a 43% increase during that timeframe.
- The numbers fit in with the move toward more prevalent health claims on product labels. In addition to factors like taste and price, consumers increasingly say that they consider health and wellness when making purchase decisions.
Dive Insight:
In this crowded market, one way to stand out is to be more innovative in label design and language while still delivering clear health messages. Nearly two-thirds of American consumers check product labels while they shop, according to a 2015 study. This percentage increased from just over half of consumers five years before, per the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Another option is to adopt new technologies that enable companies to create digital product labels consumers can access remotely. SmartLabel from the Grocery Manufacturers Association uses scannable QR codes that connect consumers to a website with several tabs of relevant product and company information.
Over the last few years, companies like Gladson and Label Insight have popped up to facilitate the increased need for digital product labeling services. Label Insight secured $10 million in its latest round of funding last month.