ARNHEM, Netherlands — 'Ultra-processed foods' (UPF) have been a hot topic recently, but what exactly does it mean? And how do consumers feel about it?
To answer these and related questions, Innova Market Insights recently surveyed U.S. consumers about their attitudes, beliefs and concerns about ultra-processed foods, as well as how frequently they consume these foods.
Only 19% of consumers surveyed by Innova admitted to consuming UPF daily. However, consumers don't always precisely define ultra-processed foods (44% identify them as fast food or junk food), a factor the market research firm noted could limit consumers' ability to eliminate UPF from their diet, even if they intend to do so.
Ultra-processed foods, according to the Nova classification system created by researchers at the University of São Paulo in Brazil in 2009, are industrial formulations made entirely or predominantly from substances extracted from foods, derived from food ingredients, or synthesized in a laboratory from food matrices or other organic sources. Ultra-processed foods often include cookies, ice cream, shakes, prepared meals, soft drinks and other sugary beverages, burgers, nuggets, etc.
According to Innova's research, 27% of consumers consider prepared foods to be the most processed food category, followed by cakes, pastries and sweet and sugary confections. Baby Boomers take this position more often, while Gen Z believes cookies and savory snacks are more deserving of the UPF label. According to Lou Ann Williams, global insights director at Innova, consumers tend to associate UPF with artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, stabilizers and preservatives.
Survey respondents ranked seafood, bottled water, meat and poultry as the least processed food categories.
The survey also noted that consumers are concerned about the negative health effects of UPFs, with respondents citing them as being “bad for health,” low nutritional value and containing unnatural ingredients as reasons for reducing consumption. Health risks such as obesity, diabetes and high blood sugar levels are often linked to UPFs, the survey noted.
According to the Innova survey, fears about UPF stem from many consumers believing such products are not adequately regulated: 52% of Baby Boomers agree or strongly agree that UPFs are not adequately regulated, and 34% of Gen Z feel the same. More than 50% of Gen Z and Millennials, and more than 60% of Gen X and Baby Boomers, believe a scoring system for classifying UPFs would be useful.
So what's a consumer packaged goods (CPG) company or brand to do? Innova suggested that one thing they can do to combat consumer UPF fears is to offer transparent ingredient lists.
“More than half of consumers want to consume only products where they know the ingredients,” Williams said. “Reducing or eliminating ingredients perceived as artificial can also address consumer concerns about ultra-processed foods.”
The ingredients survey respondents most commonly associate with UPF are artificial flavors (59%), artificial sweeteners (54%), preservatives (53%), artificial colors (52%) and stabilizers (40%).
Further opportunities for brand growth identified by Innova include innovating by balancing taste and affordability through the inclusion of fresh, natural whole products and derivatives, refining formulations by reducing or eliminating ingredients that are perceived as artificial, and focusing communications on gaining consumer trust to alleviate safety concerns around UPF.
A previous UPF survey published by GlobalData in February suggested plant-based alternatives were one of the areas most in need of reformulation and repositioning, and that companies might consider leveraging food tech to change negative consumer sentiment.
Innova plans to present additional insights from the UPF survey at the IFT FIRST Annual Event & Expo, taking place July 14-17 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
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