Transparency In The Grocery Aisles

A recent panel presentation at FMI Connect focused on the growing consumer expectation of transparency about the food that shoppers are considering for purchase. Today’s customer wants to know much more than just how much food costs. She, and increasingly he, also wants to know how the food was produced, where it came from, who produced it and what is in it. I was joined on this panel by FMI colleagues looking at the transparency trend from the respective lenses of consumer affairs and government relations.

We know that brands and government have been responding to consumer desire for information for years. That fact is quickly verified by a simple glance at the number of certifications, qualified health claims and icons currently existing on pack. To its credit, the grocery industry has done a remarkably credible job responding to consumer demand and trends. It’s what creates healthy market competition and in many cases, is a point of differentiation for brands and retailers to earn consumer loyalty.

But in this age of information with its accent on instant access to whatever you might want to know, the industry has seen a dramatic uptick in demand regarding ingredient transparency. Whether related to health, food safety, or environmental responsibility, consumer demand for information about the products they use and consume continues to be at the center of conversations throughout our industry and in the halls of our federal and state governments.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Food Marketing Institute