As the “clean label” trend has evolved into a movement that’s clearly here to stay, the food industry has been challenged to respond to it in ways that resonate with consumers. Making that task more difficult is the fact that consumers’ ideas about what clean label is and whether it’s important vary so widely.
One of the few things we know for sure about all consumers is that they want choices, and their preferences run the gamut. Some want the same bread they grew up with, and have no interest in understanding its ingredients or how much sugar and sodium it contains. Others are paying close attention, looking for something that feels familiar or natural.