Dive Brief:
- Clean labels, or shorter, more recognizable ingredients lists, have proven to be a new mainstay in the food and beverage industries rather than a passing trend, according to a study conducted by Innova Market Insights.
- In 2014, about one in five tracked products were positioned with a clean label, an increase from 17% the prior year.
- Most popular among clean labeling were natural sweeteners, natural colors, and thickeners.
Dive Insight:
"This demand for clean labelling has now brought the need for clear labelling equally to the fore, resulting in a move to clearer and simpler claims and packaging for maximum transparency and necessitating an industry response in terms of reformulation and new communication strategies," said Innova Market Insights director of innovation Lu Ann Williams.
Several major food companies are looking toward the clean labeling trend. Nestle vowed to remove artificial flavors and colors from its chocolate candy and artificial flavorings from its frozen pizzas by the end of the year. Hershey announced it would include more natural ingredients in its confections and implement more transparency, another key trend picking up speed in the food and beverage industries. Most recently, General Mills said it would remove artificial colors and flavors from its cereal brands as well.
Also, the FDA recently mandated that companies remove partially hydrogenated oils, or the main source of artificial trans fats, from their products within three years.