Health Messaging: Lessons from Paris
SIAL : Paris, October 2024
At The Brand Nursery we’ve always been close observers of trends within the food and drink sector.
We visited the vast SIAL trade show in October 2024. Around 7000 exhibitors from all around the globe were present, and, not surprisingly there were plenty of brands and products in evidence there making bold health claims.
The Context
Many food and drink products have long used nutritional messaging to appeal to health-conscious consumers. But in recent times we’ve noticed that this has become even more prolific, leading to a plethora of information, with lots of brands fighting for attention and status. Consumers are often confronted a bewildering array of health benefits.
We had wondered whether all of this activity was really cutting through – did consumers fully understand the messages thrown in front of them, and did they believe them?
Findings from our research
Along with our partners at GOLD79 we conducted a research exercise in the summer of 2024 – it was an online study with 1,025 respondents, balanced to represent the UK adult population.
We discovered that;
- 86% UK adults say they are interested in food or drink products “that benefit the health of your body or mind”
- However, just under 50% say they find these health claims confusing to some degree, whilst 72% say “I am quite cynical about the health claims made by food and drinks brands”
- Doctors, nutritionists and friends/family are the most trusted sources of health information relating to food and drink products – social media blogs and influencers are the least trusted
- Food packaging is by far the most helpful initial source of information though
- The health claims that interest the UK population the most at present are;
– Gut-Health (58% UK adults are interested)
– Immunity Boost (49%)
– High Protein (46%)
We also conducted a webinar, hosted by Julia Glotz (former Managing Editor of The Grocer) and Jane Atkinson (Health Editor, Sun On Sunday) covering this subject. You can access the recording here.
So…What Did We Spot At SIAL?
Protein : Shouting Loudest
Of the most popular health benefits, being ‘high in protein’ is the best established, and this has translated into a huge number of products across a range of sectors proclaiming this virtue.
It’s certainly the claim that has the least ambiguity about the way it is communicated on pack. Whilst in the UK there is a tendency for brand managers and designers to value subtlety and wit in front of pack design (at least, in some cases!), around the world there seems to be less reluctance to just ‘shout’.
Whether it is Greek yogurt or Lithuanian snack bars, the consumer will be in little doubt as to what the health promise is.
Gut Health : Attributes Rather Than Benefits
There were some examples of products that overtly signposted their ‘gut health’ benefits (mostly amongst snack bars). However, it was noticeable that across a range of categories, the main communication front of pack was to highlight the activating ingredient (usually Kefir) rather than its gut-health enhancing benefit.
There appears to be an assumption that consumers will either be seeking out the named ingredient, or be fully aware of the benefits of its inclusion. Given the confusion about health messaging that our research uncovered, we feel that this may be a mistaken assumption!
Immunity Boost : Relatively Underdeveloped
We noticed a few products at SIAL that highlighted ‘immunity boost’ properties, but they were few and far between. It appears that this benefit is still more firmly rooted in the health and vitamin supplements sector, rather than as a benefit to be derived from more mainstream food products.
Once again, snack bars probably delivered the boldest, most understandable packaging in this regard (although we question whether a small presence of acerola berries will truly deliver against this promise).
There were also a couple of herbal tea brands that pointed to a range of ‘wellness’ benefits, including some relating to immunity, but no-one really appears to have captured this space in a transparent, efficacious way to satisfy the clear demand for enhanced immunity that our research highlighted is there.
Moving Forward…
Our continued observation of health and wellness messaging suggests that the market is still a little behind where consumers are in offering products that exactly match their wants, needs and expectations.
In both the ‘gut health’ and ‘immunity boost’ arenas there is clearly scope for better communication of these benefits, and for more mainstream, everyday products that can deliver them.
If you’d like to find out more about our research findings, or to discuss how The Brand Nursery can help you to better communicate your health benefits and grow your brand, please contact Chris Blythe.