News

Demand for food transparency growing

December 12, 2014

New research from Technomic finds that most consumers want transparency from restaurant brands about their menu choices. Additionally, two in five consumers cite a rising concern over food additives.  

Because of this trend, health claims that convey "wholesome, pure ingredients" are resonating strongly. According to Technomic, consumers say fresh, natural or unprocessed attributes help improve perceived taste and health. Similarly, ingredients that boost the nutrition content of an item, such as fruits and vegetables, also enhance taste and health perceptions.

"Menu transparency is imperative and can help drive sales of healthy options," Technomic Senior Director Sara Monnette said in a news release. "Telling an ingredient's story – whether it's farm-raised, local or GMO-free for instance, can directly impact consumer decisions about what to order and where to dine."

Monnette also says access to this type of information at restaurants often makes consumers more likely to order what they perceive as a healthier item because it allows them to judge its nutritional benefit for themselves.

Other findings from the report include:

• 62 percent of consumers believe restaurants can offer food that is both healthy and tasty.
• Consumers are more likely to eat healthy in order to maintain a balanced or nutritious diet than to control their weight.
• Consumers are most likely to buy healthy items at fast casual and casual-dining concepts.
• Approximately one in four millennials expects to purchase gluten-free packaged items more often now that gluten-free retail foods cannot have a detectable level of gluten.