JEFF HILTON, BRANDHIVE: I think that natural and all natural have lost their meaning with almost all key demographics
Then we spoke to Jeff Hilton, partner and co-founder at branding/marketing agency Brandhive, which works with a lot of brands in the 'natural' space.
Do all-natural claims still resonate with consumers?
I think that natural and all natural have lost their meaning with almost all key demographics, but particularly with millennials and Gen Y. The new more appealing concepts are authentic, sustainable and transparent.
{as for ‘clean’ labels…] I think that foods which are frequently consumed or consumed regularly by protected populations (children, seniors, etc) are particularly sensitive about clean labels. Millennials and Gen Y are much less concerned. But clearly the clean label trend is gathering steam and not going away any time soon.
Has the threat of being sued made snack firms much more cautious about making ‘natural’ claims?
Absolutely. It’s an insane development in the marketplace that has everyone in the food business on their toes. Perhaps not an entirely bad thing if it serves to clean up misleading labels.
Who is driving the ‘clean-label’ agenda?
It’s really kind of a free for all at the moment, with many parties contributing to the uproar. There are a variety of self-proclaimed thought leaders weighing in but no clear source of credible perspective or opinion has been established. I think consumers are beginning to realize that today’s accepted ingredient may be tomorrow’s villain, and it is causing confusion and mistrust in the marketplace.
Is the Non-GMO Project verified stamp serving as a perceived marker of ‘naturalness’?
Yes it is. It is filling a void of reliable credible information and consumers are interpreting non GMO in the broadest possible context to include organic, sustainable and natural. Some manufacturers are hiding behind the non GMO symbol to hide a whole host of sins, in my opinion. And consumer confusion makes it an attractive shield to hide behind.