Dive Brief:
- President’s Trump administration seems to be softening consumer protections in numerous areas, and some are concerned about what this means for food safety, according to Forbes.
- Government labels such as “Certified Organic” are important not only to the food industry — analysts sau that brought in $58 billion last year — but the consumers who seek to eat healthier.
- HowGood Certified Brands has released an app that can help consumers identify "better sourcing and processing standards, more wholesome ingredients, humane treatment of animals and fair policies for workers." The HowGood app already has information on 25,000 farms and has about 280 stores in 26 states utilizing its ratings system, with plans to increase to more than 2,000 stores in the U.S. by year’s end.
Dive Insight:
Many in the food and beverage industry are worried that the new administration could drop the ball when it comes to recent improvements to labeling, sustainability, promotion and alerting consumers about genetically modified foods.
HowGood believes that it can keep this information in front of the consumer with its own ratings and transparency on many of the foods people buy. The company said that if their ratings were included in every store in the U.S., it could effectively promote 18 million more sustainable products every week, and shift 8% of America’s food stream toward better buying practices.
Manufacturers still need to continue paying attention to the ingredients they use and clearly communicate product information on their packaging labels. Many food companies have begun to pursue HowGood and other similar third-party certifications to remain competitive and stand out on the shelf, a trend that will likely grow along with increasing consumer demand.
No matter how many certifications and labels are out there, it’s still up to the consumer to read and understand product information. That’s where things get tricky. Although nutrition labels are an excellent way for manufacturers to share their ingredient content with consumers, a recent Bernstein survey revealed that 48% of consumers said they distrust food labels, so their impact may not be as great as many hope.