Consumers and customers want cleaner labels and more natural products. They are looking for a greater range of organic and healthier products.
Consumers and customers want innovation and greater food choices. Consumers are becoming a lot more consciously aware and want to know more about the food they eat.
Who makes the product? How do they make it? What ingredients do they use, where do the ingredients come from? Is it healthy? How much sugar, fat, sodium, carbs and protein are present in the product(s). Are any allergens present? Any chance of allergen cross contamination? Many thoughts and questions pass through the minds of our consumers before deciding what to buy, what to order and what to eat.
Consumers are becoming more aware of environmental implications, animal welfare and the wellbeing of their family and loved ones.
Product packaging and labelling are becoming increasingly important and are selling products purchased. I think back 20 years ago when working as a food technologist consumers would just buy food they enjoyed and liked to eat. Over the most recent years many factors are making food choices more complex. To name a few, factors such as using:
- Palm oil, antibiotics
- Artificial sweeteners
- Preservatives, colours
- Food chemicals, allergens
- % fat, % sugar, % sodium
- Organic, halal, Kosher
Many consumers do not understand the difference between natural, free range and organic. We have to continue to educate our consumers and help them understand especially if they are demanding specific foods but really don’t understand what they are asking for.
I only just picked up and read an Aldi catalogue and noticed they are starting to educate consumers what free range means with their Willowton chicken.
Clean labels are used as an expression to highlight no artificial colours, preservatives, flavours and chemicals etc. are used in food products. The less ingredients added the better. The issues manufacturers find with producing clean label products is shelf life. The demands manufacturers face with dispatching product locally and internationally a longer shelf life is needed to meet these demands.
A clean label consists of minimal ingredients, fresh and natural ingredients. There is no standard for clean labels. It seems to be governed by our consumers and what the needs of our consumers are.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss any of the key points mentioned above please call me on 0401 700 391 or via email dijana.green@elevatingfoodsafety.com
Yours in support, Dijana Green – Founder and CEO Elevating Food Safety Pty Ltd.
www.elevatingfoodsafety.com.au
Dijana Green
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