THE CLEAN LABELLING
CONUNDRUM
MAKE SURE YOU GET THE
MOST OUT OF YOUR FOOD.
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We can help you own and leverage your innovative
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LEVERAGING
KIWI
KNOW-HOW
JAWS.CO.NZ
The 2018 Mintel Report of Global Food & Drink
Trends highlighted a widespread consumer distrust
which has increased the need for food and drink
manufacturers to be forthcoming about their
ingredients, production processes and supply chains.
The ‘clean labelling’ movement of omitting certain
nasty ingredients and replacing these with wholefood
and natural ingredients is certainly on a steady rise.
This can be seen in the United States where 33%
of all food and beverage sales are now generated by
clean label products. But what exactly determines a
‘clean label’ appears to be more fluid. As a society we
have grown an aversion to certain food ingredients –
sugar, salt, preservatives, artificial colours – and some
for good reasons. However, it always marvels me
how our shopping (and eating) behaviours are driven
by decisions made largely by marketers defining what
is ‘healthy’ for us, rather than qualified nutritionists
and dieticians whose messages are constantly
battling against the ‘good v bad food’ dichotomy.
Last year’s Bad Taste Food Awards run by Consumer
USA
Australia
Indonesia
Canada
Korea China
Taiwan
Japan
Hong
Kong
JWS/PR/0035A
NZ highlighted this growing discontent amongst
consumers. Childhood staples like Nutragrain have
been adapted to deal with the increased scrutiny –
reducing sugar and sodium, and increasing fibre in
pursuit of a clean label - but nevertheless the product
still has a whopping amount of sugar.
As an almond milk drinker, I have a disgust for brands
which lack nuts. While many brands tout the low
kilojoule, saturated fat and dairy free alternative, a
more in-depth scan of the labels reveals a lack of
almonds (some as low as 2.5%) and other added
ingredients like rice milk and cane sugar. The often
contradictory advice on what to ‘avoid’ is now leading
us to search for what food and beverages offer,
instead of what it lacks. Indeed, the Mintel Report
highlighted that we are making our own definitions
of ‘healthy’ dependent on occasion and need-state.
If we can justify the balancing out of snack foods
high in sugar or salt as part of a balanced diet with
other more nutritionally dense foods, then it doesn’t
become all doom and gloom. Perhaps it is not
Stephanie Hadley is a solicitor and
brand strategist at James & Wells,
specialising in food & beverage
innovation. stephanieh@jaws.co.nz
surprising that ‘Mindful Choices’ is a top 2018 trend
for snacks and confectionary. So where does this
leave clean labelling? The clean label movement
is constantly evolving, partly driven by consumer
health motivations and concerns but also from a
greater need for transparency. Consumers look at
food and beverage labels to see whether it contains
any villain ingredients, whether it is naturally healthy
and to see where the food comes from and how it
is made. It’s not enough that my snack bar is gluten
and dairy free, but the pea protein needs to have
been produced in a sustainable way and grown locally
by a company which gives back to the community.
Larger corporates will have to work hard to prove
their authenticism and brand ethos, while smaller
companies who have been riding on the clean
labelling bandwagon will still have to innovate to keep
up with the clean labelling momentum. I look forward
to seeing how this plays out in the way of new
product development.
Food and beverage businesses are facing their toughest critics yet in
the age of corporate social responsibility and consumer activism, says
James & Wells solicitor and brand strategist Stephanie Hadley.
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