A huge surge in consumer demand for transparent labeling is serving food and drink brands a new challenge; to find a happy balance between conforming and standing out from the vast food crowd.
Widespread media coverage and ingredient shaming of some of the nation’s most popular food and drink brands has left the modern consumer increasingly weary of what they are putting into their bodies.
In particular, the proliferation of our favourite health and fitness bloggers has revolutionised the way we consume information, about what we are eating and the potential damage it could be doing. Forget trying to decode complicated health articles or journals, the information is now readily available in a way that is simple for any consumer to understand.
Personally, I can’t remember the last time I picked up a product without checking the label to be sure it doesn’t contain any of the sneaky foody nasties that I am told to avoid on a daily basis! But what does this growing demand for transparency mean for food and drink brands?
In an industry full of brands making pretty tall claims and promises about their products it can be difficult to stand out, particularly for big name brands looking to capitalise on popular markets like the millennial generation.
As the fastest growing demographic these guys know what they want; clear labelling and fresh (local if possible) ingredients that are fairly sourced, and if they don’t get it, then they are quick to move on. With these criteria it is no surprise that smaller brands are capturing the loyalty of this demographic. Can anyone say Nakd bars?
That certainly does not mean all is lost for the big guys and many are already adapting to suit shifting consumer needs; take Kellogg which has vowed to remove all genetically modified ingredients from its cereals.
Brands that embrace the trend and are honest with both their labelling and food sourcing will undoubtedly capture consumer loyalty and set themselves ahead in the industry.
The future certainly looks interesting for the food industry and we are looking forward to seeing how brands adapt their current practices to suit this increasingly influential consumer.
Our consumer PR agency specialises in connecting everyday brands with everyday people across four core sectors; Consumer PR, Food & Drink PR, Consumer Technology PR and Sport, Health & Wellbeing PR.
