Research reveals clean eaters fear being duped by big food
Consumers are deeply motivated to have total control over their consumption, and not have corporations, governments, brands or friends take that control away, according to the research.
No matter their purpose or origin, unfamiliar ingredients on food labels like sodium benzoate, lecithin and methionine and concerns about their impact on health are why more consumers are diligent about eliminating artificial ingredients and processed foods from their diets. In fact, new research from The Center for Food Integrity (CFI), Kansas City, Mo., shows these clean eaters fear being duped by “big food,” and are motivated to do everything in their power to control their health.
“Out are boxed meals, pre-packaged meats and chips,” says Terry Fleck, executive director. “In are preparing meals from fresh ingredients and buying products free from added preservatives, as these consumers will do everything in their power to enhance health and wellness in hopes of living long, healthy lives.”
There currently are more than 36.1 million U.S. consumers, just shy of one in five, actively engaged on the topic of packaged food and chemical additives, as shown by CFI’s Illuminate digital research tool that analyzes millions of interactions online in real time. This segment of the population is expected to grow 5.3% over the next two years.