Clean Labels Will Become A Future Norm For Food Brands

Still, the lack of a common definition for “Clean Label” imposes a challenge for the manufacturers because consumer interpretation and expectation of a clean label varies with their requirements.

- Dr. Varuna Rao

For modern consumers – who are proactive and take greater responsibility for their well-being and health needs – packaged food has become an indispensable category in the food retail space. Consumers, especially from urban affluent population and mostly from nuclear families, are increasingly getting interested in a diverse variety of foods that claim health benefits, and are safe and nutritious. This need has created a dependency on packaged foods and, in turn, has made food label an integral part of an informed buying decision.

However, the perception about food label is changing and becoming dynamic. The term continues to evolve with the changes in consumer demand and according to the ways that food producers want to inform the consumers about the qualities of their products at the point of purchase. Food labels are being innovatively used by manufacturers to provide consumers with information, including the health and safety aspects about their foods.

Buyers today are well-travelled and keep abreast with the market trends. They are looking for cleaner labels that make it easy for them to understand the claims. For consumers, a clean label on food pack has now become an expectation in the packaged food category. The term “Clean Label” has itself evolved and picked its own momentum along the way. Still, the lack of a common definition for “Clean Label” imposes a challenge for the manufacturers because consumer interpretation and expectation of a clean label varies with their requirements.

Clean Label – What it Means