Consumers want maximum transparency and clean label formulated bakery products Consumers want reassurance that products are 100% natural Clean label is something that remains something of an industry-led term as opposed to something that has a genuine influence on consumer purchasing habits. Indeed, research conducted over the period of 2019/2020 found that a total of 38% of consumers say that they have heard the phrase clean label when it comes to food and drink. Moreover, this figure is skewed somewhat by a disproportionally high number of consumers citing this in developing economies. However, whilst the term is one that is not overly familiar to consumers, the attributes behind such products are of high appeal to consumers. That is, consumers want products that they deem to be natural and contain real and authentic ingredients that offer a nutritional boost. In addition to this, they want to avoid ingredients that sound chemical. However, when it comes to the phrase natural, it is something that can be subjective in nature amongst consumers. It is also a term that some skeptical consumers believe can be used misleadingly to position a product as being healthier than it is or to charge a higher price. As such, consumers want maximum validation and transparency when it comes to claims. This is the reason for the importance of clean label style products in the bakery industry.
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Proportion of consumers who say that they have heard of the concept of " clean label when it comes to food and drink
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Source: Clean Label and Naturalness survey Q1 2019/Q1 2020
As such, rather than looking to define what constitutes a clean label product in the bakery sector, the industry instead needs to look for maximum reassurance when it comes to promoting natural claims. FMCG Gurus research shows that natural claims are important in the bakery sector. This is because natural ingredients are associated with real and authentic ingredients, and these ingredients are deemed better quality, healthier, more trustworthy, and more sustainable. These are traits that are of favorable perceptions to the modern-day consumer.
Regional trends in the global bakery market | 7
