Busting Manufacturing Myths: A New Perspective on Processed Food's Bad Reputation

Steve Burgess, General Manager Europe at tna solutions, looks at the how producers can attract health-conscious consumers and de-bunk the myth that processed’ always means unhealthy

Processed food has long had a reputation for being the ‘bad boy’ of the grocery aisles, and in the wake of the pandemic, with consumers evermore focused on their health and wellbeing, the potential is there for these products to sink further down in their estimations. A recent GlobalData report on what it calls the Health and Wellness Megatrend highlighted a shift towards how it is influencing consumer purchasing decisions. At the outset of 2022, 66% of global consumers were always or often influenced by the impact a product or service has on their health and wellbeing. This makes it the most influential aspect at time of writing, and represents a takeover from the period just three years earlier, where in 2018 consumers were more likely to base purchasing decisions on how well a product aligned with money and time constraints.

The market is heading steadfastly in a healthy direction, driven by consumers seeking out products that align with their aspirations for a healthier lifestyle, and Governments too are applying pressure globally to ensure food manufacturers continue to improve the nutritional credentials of their products. Like high-sugar products before them, ‘ultra-processed’ foods have become the industry’s latest ‘bogeyman’, and the consensus is that the more processed the product, the less nutritious it is.

In this article, we will explain how packaged goods don’t have to be deemed as the “unhealthy” option, and break down strategies manufacturers can use to give consumers the reassurance, insight and sense of control they need to see processed food in a whole new light.