Last year’s figures on nutritional labeling show some big changes, says Mintel

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

Last year’s figures show some big changes. Throughout most of the 1990s, we were rarely surprised at how the numbers would shake out for products bearing nutrition claims in the US. Sure, there were some surprises, such as in 1996 when the number of low calorie products took a nosedive and stayed that way. Or in 1999 when lowfat products followed suit.


For 2001, however, we saw the numbers all over the map, reflecting, we think, some big changes in what kinds of products manufacturers are producing and consumers are choosing. Some categories, traditionally on the low side, soared last year, while others, which we expected to stay fairly high, dropped. In general, the numbers reflect a major trend toward cleaner ingredient labels and products with a more “responsible” positioning. Many of the products, not surprisingly, are sold in natural food stores.


The claims of note for 2001 include All Natural, No Additives/Preservatives, Low Cholesterol, Reduced Sugar, and Organic. All Natural and No Additives/Preservatives, plus Organic are claims that often show up in the same products, over and over again. All Natural continued its rise over the last decade, with 1,560 products in 2001, up from 2000’s 1,130. No Additives/Preservatives grew perhaps the most, reaching 833 new product introductions in 2001 compared to 2000’s 269. Organic introductions topped the 1,000 mark for the first time, up from 2000’s 844. Although we do, traditionally, see these products sold mainly in natural food stores, more are beginning to appear in mainstream supermarkets. And from mainstream companies, such as Borden’s Classico pasta sauces, Dean Foods’ juice drinks in Chug packaging, Earthgrains premium whole grain breads, and private label lines from chains such as Harris-Teeter.


Reduced/Low Sugar introductions reached 320 products in 2001; these type of products had experienced very low introduction figures in the prior five years. We are seeing a strong movement toward more products geared toward diabetics-this is reflected in 2001’s introductions. I think we can expect introductions for this market to continue to grow.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Perhaps we will begin to see now in the US more of what we see in Europe-products promoted specifically on the lack of processing or additives. And consumers who seek them out. Although we do see some of that now in the US, it appears to be limited just to natural food stores. With the wide array of products bearing these claims, and with the growing change in the national psyche toward hearth and home, 2002 may well be the year we see a wider acceptance of the “natural” goodness of foods.


 
























































































































































  PRODUCTS BEARING NUTRITIONAL CLAIMS, 1991-2001
  1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Reduced/low calorie 1,214 1,130 609 575 1,161 776 742 456 302 261 170
Reduced/low fat 1,198 1,257 847 1,439 1,914 2,076 1,405 1,180 481 1,057 886
All natural 561 996 449 575 407 645 587 743 522 1,130 1,560
Reduced/low salt 572 630 242 274 205 171 87 80 97 131 159
No additives/ preservatives 526 631 543 251 167 143 142 149 346 269 833
Low/no cholesterol 711 677 287 372 163 223 106 124 244 189 349
Added/high fiber 146 137 51 26 40 12 33 43 67 81 50
Reduced/low sugar 458 692 473 301 422 373 78 164 74 61 320
Added/high calcium 15 41 14 23 21 35 28 45 119 158 140
Organic 370 510 385 446 538 645 505 842 783 844 1,059
NOTE: Nutritional claims categories are not additive, as new products may carry more than one claim.
Source: New Product News/GNPD