What you need to know

Consumers have come to associate clean ingredient labels with overall healthfulness resulting in new food and drink launches that feature both nutrition claims and free-from claims. The pandemic put a spotlight on the immune support claim, and consumers will seek products that provide holistic immune support even once the virus is under control. Claims that support healthy aging such as eye health, joint health and brain health will rise in popularity as the nation ages.

Key issues covered in this Report

  • The impact of COVID-19 on consumer interest in nutrition claims

  • Growth and decline of claims in food and beverage launches

  • Whitespace nutrition claim opportunities

  • How demographic changes indicate new nutrition claim opportunities

Definition

This Report explores trending food and drink nutrition claims by analyzing both product launch data (ie GNPD) and consumer data.

For information on use of and interest in functional ingredients specific to the non-alcoholic beverage category please see Functional Drinks: Incl Impact of COVID-19 – US, April 2020.

For general information on consumer diet trends place see Better for You Eating Trends: Incl Impact of COVID-19 – US, November 2020.

COVID-19: US context

The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US in January 2020. On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global health pandemic, and on March 13, President Trump declared a national emergency in the US.

Across the US, state-level stay-at-home orders rolled out throughout the months of March and April, remaining in place through May, and in some cases June. During this time, referred to as lockdown, nonessential businesses and school districts across the nation closed or shifted to remote operations.

During reemergence, all 50 states have relaxed stay-at-home orders and allowed businesses to operate with varying levels of social distancing measures in place. The continued spread of COVID-19 infections has driven some states to slow down or reverse course on reopening plans. Mintel anticipates the US will remain in a state of flux through 2021, until a vaccine is available.

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