Clean label standards are moving beyond the substitution of artificial additives or the removal of controversial ingredients. It’s also about offering transparency and authenticity to reassure consumers and win their trust. According to Eurial I&N, the European clean label market is booming, with increasing numbers of new product launches carrying a clean label claim.

Common questions often raised in the clean label sectors are; What is clean label? What does it mean to consumers? What does a product need to qualify as clean label? What solutions can be used to achieve it? 

In a webinar hosted by FoodIngredientsFirst next week, Eurial will answer these key industry concerns. 

According to Eurial, the company understands challenges and opportunities facing manufacturers today. The webinar will offer insights into the company’s dairy protein solutions and how they meet clean label standards.

Consumers’ needs evolve
The consumer lifestyle trend toward cleaner living is broadening and heightening expectations around what constitutes a clean label. 

Consumer expectations will also vary according to individual attitudes, beliefs and priorities concerning healthy eating, ethics and sustainability.The consumer lifestyle trend toward cleaner living is broadening and heightening expectations around what constitutes a clean label. In a 2019 Innova Market Insights survey, the market researcher asked consumers about their perception of “clean label.”

Thirty percent of global consumers said they consider a food or beverage to be “clean label” when they have “no additives or preservatives.” 

Moreover, 24 percent of global consumers chose “no artificial colors or flavors,” and 23 percent of global consumers chose “organic.” 

So, these are all aspects falling under consumers’ definitions of “clean label.” 

According to Innova Market Insights, this definition has expanded over time. The market researcher has been on top of the clean label trend, tracking the evolution of different movement aspects.  

As demonstrated by Eurial, clean label remains a significant driver in the F&B industry. 

Clean label claims are applied across many market categories, particularly in dairy, bakery, sauces & seasonings, baby and toddler products, soft drinks and snacks, which are the top market categories for clean label claims in 2019.

The shifting industry is seeing in food and beverages is from a focus on mainly health-driven factors, with natural, no additives, nothing artificial and organic as key claims on-pack, to clean label also including ethical and environmental factors over time. 

There are also increased claims relating to human and animal welfare, with an increased focus on supply chain transparency, plant-powered nutrition, and sustainable sourcing. 

Finding solutions to create clean label applications is crucial to address rising consumer expectations. It will be interesting to explore how the F&B industry stays ahead of the clean label trend, considering its evolution over the years.