According to LEK Consulting’s How the Clean-Label Mega-Trend is Changing the Food Ingredients Landscape​ report, consumers are becoming increasingly wary of processed foods and artificial ingredients, and turning their attention and wallets to clean-label products made from all-natural ingredients and not a synthetic chemical in sight.

In fact, according to the global strategy consulting firm’s research, more than 60% of consumers prefer products that claim be ‘all natural’, with ‘no artificial ingredients’ and ‘no preservatives’.

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And consumer are showing no sign of backing down. Their scrutiny on labels and unpronounceable ingredients is becoming more pinpointed, forcing manufacturers to reformulate recipes with cleaner ingredients in order to stay ahead of the curve.

For example, Kellogg’s ensured its entire product line was free from artificial colours and flavours by 2018, a move matched by Campbell's and Mondelēz, among others. Nestlé has spent the past decade reformulating more than 6,500 of its products to improve their nutrition profile, and sandwich chain Panera eliminated all artificial colours, sweeteners, flavours and preservatives from its food-to-go offerings in 2016. That’s just the tip of the food industry iceberg.

“The fast-growing and evolving clean food landscape presents outsize opportunity for food ingredient manufacturers, investors and retailers,”​ said Rob Wilson, MD and partner of LEK’s Chicago office and co-author of the report.