Provenance and transparency Another evolving clean label trend is around provenance and transparency, with supply chain traceability and blockchain continuing to develop. Bagul says that some consumers do value this if they can trace it back to the farm or wherever it comes from.11 Consumer surveys in Europe have also found close associations from respondents between local and more natural foods.13 The next step for provenance and transparency is likely to move beyond ingredients. In the future, producers need to look to ensure how they run their business, how their ingredients are produced and under what conditions they are also up to higher ‘clean image’ standards. Emma Schofield, Senior Analyst, Global Food Science at Mintel says:
“Shoppers think critically about the types of food production they want to support. In future, consumers will not just seek clean labels but will seek brands with a 'clean conscience'. In markets like Europe, where naturalness and clean label are most advanced, producers will need to progress from becoming producers of clean label ingredients, to a brand with a clean conscience.”14
Source: Mintel GNPD15
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