buying betterment · still matter; according to a european study by iriiv, 70 per cent of shoppers...

Buying bettermentHow health and wellness is driving growth in the food and beauty markets

A whitepaper from Sun Branding Solutions

Sun Branding Solutions | Buying Betterment Whitepaper

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How healthy are you? Are you the ‘eat well every day, exercise three times a week’ type or do you limit yourself Monday to Friday so you can splurge at the weekend? Are you first in line for the latest ‘superfood’ or do you believe ‘everything in moderation’ is the best approach?

These days, health is a hot topic. According to the NHSi, in 1993, 15 per cent of the adult population in the UK was overweight. In 2015, this had risen to 27 per cent, and it’s a figure that’s growing almost as fast as our waistbands. We’re still not up to US levels (39 per cent of the population) but it’s an issue health services across the world are keen to address. Plus, with more than 1 in 5 reception age children reported as overweight or obese, it’s an issue that will only grow in prominence.

And it’s not just weight that’s a concern; as we all live longer and place more pressure on services, it’s vital to eat well and cater to our changing nutritional needs as we age. In fact, researchii suggests older consumers and those with more “immediate” health concerns are more likely to pay attention to health communications on foods, labels and marketing, so clarity is paramount.

At a time when consumers are setting the boundaries of their own wellbeing, defining what healthy means to them, there’s a huge opportunity for brands and retailers to not only cash in on a growing trend, but to help consumers be the best version of themselves.

1 in 5 reception age children in the UK are reported as overweight or obese


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1. So, what is healthy anyway?At the end of the 20th century, eating healthily was all about low fat, reduced calories and getting your five a day. But over time, our understanding of ‘health’ has evolved to something far more complex, making every consumer their own personal health advisor.

When health and nutrition is constantly making headlines, and with more and more influencers selling their latest recipe for long-life and lean muscles on social media, we’re increasingly picking and choosing the rules that work best for us, whether that be clean eating, ‘flexitarianism’ or high protein snacking to support our fitness goals. And it’s not just about physical health. In a time-poor economy, health is about more than just food; it’s about convenience, indulgence, mental health and me time. And when all those factors are thrown into the mix, we’re willing to compromise on being ‘healthy’ for being ‘healthier’, as we take a more holistic view of our lifestyles. ‘Self-care’ is becoming a major focus, as we try to escape stress and negativity in the wider world around us.

And, according to WGSN’s New Wellness Foods 2018 reportiii,

‘Healthy-ish’ – a more relaxed attitude to wellness that allows indulgences and more flexible diets, and considers enjoyment of food to be as important as the health benefits.

Of course, traditional communications around the nutritional content of food still matter; according to a European study by IRIiv, 70 per cent of shoppers across Europe still look for foods with less salt, sugar, fat or calories. Last year in Ireland, the Department of Health published ‘A Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan’v, with health initiatives planned up until 2025. This is already beginning to have an impact on the Irish consumer, with 60 per cent now taking steps to eat foods high in vitamins and minerals and increase their fibre intake, which is already inspiring major changes to the average shopping basket. Data from The Consumer Goods Forumvi (CGF) revealed that more than 180,000 products were reformulated globally in 2016, with 75


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per cent of brands and retailers claiming they had reformulated products, with salt and sugar the main targets for reduction and wholegrains and vitamins the most added. The Government is taking decisive action too; in the November 2017 budget, Chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed that soft drinks with more than five grams of sugar per 100ml will see a tax hike this year, with penalties in place as early as April.

Industry-wide reformulation with Government targets in mind is designed to affect population-level intakes, specifically “of concern” nutrients such as salt, sugar and saturated fatvii.

“In a competitive marketplace this strategy helps to ensure products are not disadvantaged if, for example, every brand tastes as salty as the next,” says Sally Moore, senior lecturer in food and nutrition at Leeds Trinity University.

“However, a lack of differentiation between nutrient values when comparing labels doesn’t help products ‘stand out from the crowd’ as an obvious healthy choice. Interestingly, some companies use media and marketing messages to help communicate their commitment to reach these targets as a differentiator, as we’ve seen recently in 2017 with a large sugar reduction pledge in Kellogg’s children’s cerealsviii.”


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Other categories that were once resistant to focusing on health are getting in on the action too; the launch of Skinny Lager this year (89 calories a bottle, reduced sugar, low carb, vegan and gluten-free) signals a growing awareness of the impact alcohol has on your diet. The rise of popcorn and meat-based options like biltong and jerky in the snack aisle show we’re even compromising on products that were once considered an indulgence.


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Plant-based snacks derived from nuts, seeds and seaweed are already hitting the mainstream, and chickpea-based snacks saw 150 per cent growth last yearix. The US and Asia are seeing launches including vegan jerky – trends that soon spread to the European market, particularly as our willingness to experiment with new flavours and ingredients increases.

According to the Waitrose Food and Drink Report 2017x, squeezing a fourth meal into our day is becoming more and more acceptable, and is a trend that’s set to continue. Mintel researchxi shows that Gen Z in particular are a generation of erratic eaters and snackers, with nearly four in five (79 per cent) of consumers aged 16-24 snacking once a day or more, compared to 62 per cent of snackers over the age of 55.

However, there is also widespread dissatisfaction at the range of snacking options available, despite the growing NPD in this category, making it an area brands and retailers focused on delivering on snackers’ needs can tap in to. Some brands, like Chicago-based protein bar company RXBAR are using packaging to tap into this demand for clean eating snack options, by listing its minimal ingredient decs on front of pack in bold text as its primary front of pack design. New brands are stepping in with reformulated versions of favourite products, making wellness swaps easy. Hunter & Gather’s mayonnaise uses avocado oil to provide dairy-free healthier fats and Pow-Cow’s frozen yogurt is high protein and low fat.

Even brands that were once firmly focused on the diet market are changing.

Weight Watchers saw £26.9m knocked off its sales last year due to increased competition in the health and wellbeing marketxii, as shoppers increasingly want more from their food, not less.

One third of shoppers also want to buy additive free food, and one in three read the ingredient lists and nutritional fact labels on food items before they buy, so we’re not willing to take conventional front of pack health claims on face value these days. Couple this with a growing distrust of food producers


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following major food scares like the horsemeat scandal, and consumers are more likely than ever to take a close interest in what’s in their food, with a focus on natural products, sustainability and rigorous traceability.

“For a while we have seen a move away from ‘less of’ claims such as ‘low fat’,” says Sally Moore.

“Research with consumers suggests such messages are distrusted and in older consumers at least, may be actively avoided – for example, they may think ‘it’s probably full of sugar, I’d just buy the full fat version’. It seems the market space now values messages of added health and vitality rather than restriction, appealing to our hearts as well as our heads.”

According to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD)xiii, natural product claims (which include no additives/preservatives, organic and GMO-free) appeared on 29% of global food and drink launches from September 2016 to August 2017, which is an increase from 17% from September 2006 to August 2007.

Developed economies are increasingly focused on holistic health and wellness, as, according to McKinseyxiv, the wealthier we become, the more likely we are to invest in our health.

With the developed world (Japan, Europe and the US) getting older, and emerging markets getting both bigger and richer, the market for things that make consumers healthier is set to expand into a trillion dollar business.

“Growing wealth means that as scourges like polio and malaria begin to fade, “lifestyle” diseases increase in relative importance,” the report states.

So, the global need for ‘healthier’ alternatives that support us at every stage of our lives is likely to be huge. And with blurred lines between food, supplements and health and beauty, brands that can harness this need for holistic wellness are at a major advantage.


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2. Consumers are becoming amateur health expertsThere will always be a battle between what marketers want to say and what the law allows, and nowhere is this more of a challenge than in the health and wellness market. According to Sun Branding Solutions’ head of regulatory Phil Dalton, now more than ever, there’s a major disconnect between what the law allows on product labels, and what the average person hears about healthy eating; and this may be creating an issue for public policy.

“The trouble with how labelling regulations deal with health is that they’re created by scientists and aren’t tied in to public health initiatives,” he says.

“So, while public health is focused on messages that our health depends upon such as, reducing our intake of calories, fat, sugar and salt, on-pack positive health messaging is all around vitamins and minerals and what’s been added.

Products are presented as ‘healthy’ because of the micro nutrients they contain with no link at all to fat, sugar or salt. In fact, you can’t legally say a product is the healthy choice simply because of low fat, low sugar, low salt. This means that consumers looking for healthy options to reduce their calories, fat, sugar or salt may be being misled by on pack ‘healthy’ labelling into choosing products that claim to be healthy, and are within the law allowing a product to carry a health claim, but which actually contain a horrendous amount of fat, sugar or salt.

We need to be able to be clearer on what is the healthy choice in terms of public health and communicate it on pack in a way that the consumer understands.

Nutrition labelling is now compulsory on most foods, but the evidence is that consumers struggle to use the legally required nutritional information to make healthier choices, mainly because it’s presented in such a scientific way that it isn’t compatible with the way they eat and shop. Clear health messaging on pack, visible at the point of purchase, where consumers make their choices,


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needs to be more aligned to what consumers understand and the way public health is communicated. Currently though there isn’t the willingness to change the law – certainly not while we’re still working with EU regulations.

In the short term therefore, more effort is required to relate better food choices to the nutrition information that is provided. Something similar to the 5-a-day campaign, to help consumers understand and use what they see on pack, such as traffic light labelling, should be considered a priority. Longer term, we should be thinking about making health messaging on product labels to include reference to calories, fat, sugar and salt to ensure the public health messages about cutting our intakes are passed on to the consumer at the point of purchase and that they are not misled by products presented as healthy, but which contain high levels of these nutrients.”

Increasingly, consumers are choosing where to make sacrifices and where to indulge, as they focus on what matters to them. Take butter for example.

Kantar figuresxv reveal that butter sales are up 19 per cent year on year, and continue to grow with almost every market sector, apart from young families who still buy in to spreads to save money.

In fact, there was talk of a butter shortage back in July 2017, such is the growing popularity of a once maligned high fat indulgence. It’s a prime example of


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consumers weighing up all their options and choosing products that fit with many others to create a holistic picture of health. With many stories in the news about the synthetic ingredients in low fat spreads, many are choosing butter as a more natural alternative and eating it in reduced quantities.

In food to go, sales of salads are on the increase, as people continue to spend on convenience, but with a healthier agenda. Kantar researchxvi shows sales of salads are up 11.5 per cent to £749.5m a year, with all ages buying into the sector. Plus, 17 per cent of shoppers said they would eat more food on the go if healthier options were available. So, both the big shop and out of home customer is making choices based on health.

This underlying ‘understanding’ of the benefits different foods and ingredients give, and an acceptance that ‘healthier’ is OK does mean challenges for regulatory teams and marketers, but offers huge opportunities too.

Fresh soups are a prime example of this principle in action. As research shows, consumers are increasingly looking to sandwich and carb alternatives for lunch, and chilled soup brands have flooded the market in recent years. Most brands don’t make health claims on their packs, but goodness, freshness and simplicity is implied by their pack format, design and focus on ingredients. For example, illustrated fresh ingredients coupled with high product visibility and a simple product title is all the health-conscious shopper needs, as they believe they know what benefits those ingredients will give them. Brands like Soupologie, Tideford Organics and Rod & Bens do it well, without a health claim in sightxvii.

Packaging design has perhaps even more of a powerful effect for the online shopper, when consumers looking to save time sometimes make quicker, and therefore less informed, purchase decisions than if they were shopping in-store.

Research carried out at Leeds Trinity University explored how consumers find perceived “healthy” products when using their normal online supermarket website.

“Despite the enormous amount of product information available online, I was surprised to see how quickly decisions are made and focus only on the product photograph,” says Sally Moore.


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“Few used nutrition information. In fact, ‘fresh’ or ‘organic’ products and brands were more often used as proxies indicating ‘health’, particularly for older consumers”.

As revealed in a recent Sun Branding Solutions whitepaper, Age repackaged: Design for an ageing population, the rapid growth of the over 50s is set to offer great challenges and opportunities for brands and retailers in terms of products and services that can promote healthier ageing.

Vitamin and supplement brand Prime Fifty focuses on addressing the needs of the over 50s rather than highlighting individual vitamins or minerals – for example ‘Strong bones’, ‘Healthy joints’ and ‘Fighting fatigue’. Prior to


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launching its range in 2015, the company surveyed more than 1,000 over 50s about key aspects of their lifestyle, diet, family dynamics and leisure time to establish what mattered to them.

Diet was considered a major determinant in helping keep fit and healthy. Most respondents felt they were more conscious about what they ate and drank today than they were 10 years ago – firstly, because there was a lot more nutritional advice available and secondly, because they wanted to improve or at least maintain their health. Many had tried to cut down on processed foods, fat and sugar and increase intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, fibre and lean meats. Overall, there was a general confusion as to what was good or bad for you, however all agreed if they avoided processed food stuffs they would be on the right track.

“There was a time when people accepted ageing and just carried on doing what they’d always done, in terms of diet, smoking and drinking,” said Dr Max Gowland, founder of Prime Fifty.

“But over 50s are now more aware of their health than ever before, thinking about diet, exercise and supplements that will help them feel younger and stay active for longer. Our survey revealed that while very few older people look for added health ingredients when shopping, they are very aware of the claims that are relevant to their specific needs – for example, low fat and probiotic. Plus, a Mintel report showed that older people were more likely to take vitamins or supplements on a daily basis (55 per cent of over-65s compared with 38 per cent of 16-24s).

Prime Fifty’s quantitative research further endorsed this, establishing that over 75 per cent of respondents in the survey took nutritional supplements daily with the remainder either weekly or when they remembered.”

So, the consumer as a self-certified health expert does have its challenges – but it offers opportunities too, especially when it comes to NPD and brand design. The consumer is more demanding but more knowledgeable than ever – whatever their life stage or age - which can help you cut to the chase when it comes to marketing your product.

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Food trends of 2017 Out of the 10 trends Waitrose identified last yearxviii six* are undoubtedly influenced by a health and wellness agenda. These are:

Carbs After being the enemy of dieters for years, carbs are back in favour, with sales of bread, pasta, bulgur wheat and quinoa leading the charge.

Turmeric Thought to help with a myriad of health concerns and used as a beauty treatment, turmeric has been flying off the shelves this year, including as a drink mix to replace tea and coffee.

Blueberries Heralded as a ‘superfood’, blueberries have been a popular shopping basket item for the last few years, and their popularity continues to grow.

Buddha bowls Made popular by food bloggers, Buddha bowls are a complete meal in a bowl featuring grains, raw or cooked veg, healthy fat, protein and greens.

Dark green veg Waitrose sells a pack of kale, cavolo nero or chard every single second, with more traditional greens like broccoli and cabbage falling off the shopping list.

Protein It’s not just meat and eggs – shoppers have been loading up on beans, seeds and meat-based snacks like jerky to up their protein intake.

*the remaining four trends are brunch, peanut butter, juniper berries and herbs.

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3. Health foods are moving from niche to mainstream

There was a time when being healthy meant denying yourself; fat, sugar, carbs, chocolate. But these days, consumers are looking for more, not less. Over the last few years, there has been a seismic shift from promoting what’s been taken out to focusing on what you’re getting, especially in sectors where the consumer is already making sacrifices.

Plus, the rise of the ‘flexitarian’ – people who wouldn’t classify themselves as vegetarian or vegan, but who avoid meat for health and environmental reasons – means brands like Quorn, Linda McCartney and US brand Beyond Foods don’t want to market themselves as vegetarian or vegan. Now meat-free, high protein, ethical production and ingredient / flavour focus is more the order of the day, as brands widen their targeting to incorporate everything the consumer might categorise their health needs as. Being vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian shouldn’t have to be a compromise, and brands are drawing on more foodie cues to make eating meat-free more appealing.

Free From is also moving out of health shop territory and growing in sales and value, as more consumers swap out dairy and wheat. According to the IRI survey, 33 per cent of European consumers shop Free From, despite only one per cent of the population being coeliac, seven per cent having a sensitivity to glutenxix, and one percent having a diagnosed lactose intolerance. Mintel forecasts that the Free From market will continue to grow and will hit £673m by 2020.

“Gluten free now appeals to more than just those clinically diagnosed with coeliac disease - an auto-immune reaction to gluten,” says Sally Moore.


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“These people require lifelong avoidance of all gluten and can feel a huge reduction in symptoms when following a strictly gluten free diet and symptoms can include abdominal pain, bloating, tiredness and anaemia.

“However, gluten-free claims now appear to attract those younger, social media savvy ‘clean eaters’. Although the absence of gluten does not reflect overall nutrient content, it may be the halo effect operating here. That is, the presence of the claim is supporting a consumer perception that this product as holistically – and nutritionally – ‘healthy’xx.

Consumers will describe their self-prescribed temporary gluten-free diets as providing relief from bloating, constipation and even weight loss.

“As a dietitian watching the growth of this category in supermarkets, I also think it can be no bad thing for people with coeliac disease, especially given the financial pressure on the NHS has meant further limiting of free prescriptions for gluten-free foods.

Non-dairy choices like almond milk and soya have become relatively mainstream, and marketed based on more than just their lack of lactose – it’s all about their ‘high quality protein’, added vitamins and minerals and ‘natural’ credentials. Parker Williams, the brand, innovation and packaging design arm of Sun Branding Solutions, recently created the packaging design for Rachel’s Organic’s first lactose free

Designed by Parker Williams part of Sun Branding Solutions


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yogurt. Parker Williams creative director Jo Saker says: “This is a product first for Rachel’s and it was important to communicate to consumers that this is still the Rachel’s organic yogurt they know and love; rich, creamy, full of great fruit ingredients and lactose free”.

Plus, Free From options, though still having a large dedicated fixture in most stores, are moving into category, with almond and soya milk now sitting alongside cow’s milk in the dairy aisle, making it even easier for consumers to switch out one element of their weekly shop for an alternative. NPD is frequent, with the likes of oat milk and tiger nut milk appearing alongside the more established alternatives with relatively little fanfare, but with growing success.

Wheat and gluten free products are doing the same, with brands like Booja Booja, Good Carma, Genius, Perkier and Free’d celebrating their benefits through an upbeat brand name and playful brand design. Doves Farm explains the foodie taste profile and health benefits of flour made from wheat alternatives such as rice, hemp, chestnut, quinoa, rather than focusing on what you’re not getting. As these ingredients become more well known in the mainstream, the more they’re likely to become a choice for adventurous foodies who aren’t shopping to cater for an intolerance.

Challenger brands are undoubtedly leading the charge in Free From, but demand is so great, it’s something traditional brands are embracing too. Big name brands are ditching sub-brands in Free From, bringing them back under the parent brand umbrella. For example, Warburtons, which used to sell Free From bread under the Newburn Bakehouse sub brand, will sell 19 gluten-free lines as Warburtons Gluten Free From this month, taking Free From back into category. Bird’s Eye are launching new frozen Free From lines, including chicken nuggets, to bring once specialist products in to the mainstream. And although wheat and gluten free, as with lactose free, is hugely important for those with diagnosed intolerances, it’s yet another on pack claim that further supports all-round healthier eating for those looking to make incremental changes to their supermarket shop.


Shunning categories cues to carve their own nicheSoft drinks is another area where healthier options have become big business, with flavoured waters and infusions the big winners in 2017 as consumers continue to ditch refined sugar. Brands have shifted their focus from younger consumers to a more adult market, swapping sweetness for more foodie flavours and artisan production methods. High-end non-alcoholic spirits company Seedlip carved a new niche in 2017, offering an alternative to gin with its copper pot distilled botanical inspired tipples to serve with tonic, but with no alcohol, no sugar and no sweeteners.

In fact, the naturally-inspired soft drinks market is so strong that some challenger brands are starting to shun category design cues, focusing instead on the overall lifestyle effect. Ugly Drinks launched last year, promoting natural ingredients

and no sugar, but with a confrontational brand personality using vibrant colours and chunky text to target younger shoppers who want to be healthier but who also want to make a statement about the products they buy.

It’s a brave move, as most shoppers are used to flavoured sparking water in clear bottles adorned with images of fresh fruit, and it’s an approach that’s likely to divide opinion. But moving away from traditional category cues into a more ‘lifestyle’ brand approach could be something we see more and more of as healthier options become the standard.

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4. Living your best life – being a healthier and more ethical version of youThese days wellbeing isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about feeling better about yourself in every way, whether that’s about the products you buy, the face cream you use or the causes you support. That’s why every brand should be asking two key questions: How are expectations around health and wellness evolving? And how can brands and retailers meet those expectations – and help people fulfil their dreams of being their ‘best self’? Brands beware though - consumers are freer than ever to construct lifestyles and attitudes of their own choosing, thanks to unlimited access to information, the erosion of old social conventions, endless choice and more.

The reality is that men are the fastest adopters of yoga, women are embracing powerlifting and older people set the latest fitness craze, so stereotype at your peril. And never underestimate what they expect as ‘basics’ with their ‘betterment’ buys.

“These days, consumers expect more from products that fall under the ‘healthy’ or ‘betterment’ header,” says Sun Branding Solutions’ pack science director Gillian Garside-Wight.

“They expect ethical and sustainable and assume recyclability, almost as much as hygiene factors, so brands and retailers need to consider this in their packaging as well as in the product it contains.

“For example, there are still many organic products that are packaged in plastic made with petrochemicals, which clashes with what the consumer believes they are buying in to.

“It’s vital that brands selling this betterment message bring it to life in everything they do; for example, Abel + Cole using returnable crates for their organic packaging, or eco-friendly cleaning products offering refillable bottles.”


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Consumers want to make a difference to their lives and the world around them, but ‘betterment’ isn’t always about big gestures. It’s about making incremental changes to how you live and what you consume to make a cumulative positive impact.

Linking food trends with ethical actions can appeal greatly to the consumer looking for betterment; for example, This Bar Saves Livesxxi donates meal packets to children in need for every bar sold. On Pack communication is minimal, focusing on the brand message, and it seems to be working. The company has donated over three million meal packets to children suffering from severe malnutrition.

For example, the growth in product boasting ‘good bacteria’ shows we’re thinking of the small additions to our diets that could make a difference, but that require very little effort or investment. Similarly, fermented food and drinks like kefir and kombucha are beginning to hit the mainstream. Probiotic milk drink brand Bio-tiful Dairy says sales of its bacteria-filled fermented milk drink kefir are booming as a result of growing awareness of probiotics, proving that it doesn’t take long for a product to move out of health food shops and into the mainstream.

“It sounds obvious, but it has taken a lot of research to establish that what you eat can, over time, change the type and amount of your bacteria living in your gut,” says Sally Moore.


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“Fermented milk and foods, drinks or supplements with added beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterius can boost your microbiota. Clinically, there is exciting ongoing interest in these microorganisms to treat and prevent a huge array of health conditions including everything from infections or diarrhoea to optimising weight loss, or even your moodxxii.”

Protein continues to be a booming trend – not just for gym bunnies – with traditional brands’ NPD thriving as a result. Weetabix created Protein Crunch in 2016 and Weetabix Protein in 2017. The brand says it now accounts for more than half of the protein cereal category with sales of £7.3m, as consumers attempt to up their protein intake at breakfast. They’ve also added protein products to their On The Go bottled range.

The protein has spread to the bread aisle too, with Warburtons launching a range of protein-added baked goods last September. Baked with a blend of pulses and grains, the range includes high protein bread, wraps and sandwich thins. According to Nielsen, the range had racked up just over £2m in sales by the end of the year. Bakers are also trying to win back the reduced carbs crowd, by focusing on more holistic health. Hovis, has added more wheat protein and fibre in its Lower Carb range, to replace 30 per cent of the carbohydrates normally found in bread. Innovation is vital in this category as


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according to The Grocer, bread as a category suffered the third highest loss of sales in 2016.

Protein has also been highlighted as a key component in weight loss programmes, now being incorporated into evidenced-based programmes like Weight Watchers. Protein-based meals centres such as eggs and lean chicken are being encouraged heavily, with an emphasis on these foods as promoting a feeling of fullness.

Tea is another category in decline, and the big brands are responding to the ‘betterment’ trend here too. As well as challenger brands offering products to support immunity, combat stress and aid sleep, big names like Tetley are responding too, launching a range of 18 ‘superfood’ inspired teas enhanced with vitamins and minerals and including super trendy ingredients like matcha. It may not be a big change, but it’s a simple swap for the average consumer to make. These ranges not only focus on physical health, but play to the consumers’ understanding of the benefits relaxation and sleep bring.

Helping consumers doesn’t have to be about reformulating your product or using the newest ingredients though. According to Gillian Garside-Wight, innovation in pack format could be key to helping people live healthier lives.

“Healthy foods tend to have a shorter shelf life and, often, a higher price point,” she says.


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“Even simple pack changes, like packing salad in ‘eat me, keep me’ packs can encourage shoppers to make healthier choices. It acknowledges how people really eat and by making a small change, can reduce food waste and increase shoppers’ willingness to buy.”

A word of warning though; when you’re planning a product launch or marketing campaign aimed at consumers’ sense of doing the right thing, it has to be founded on truth. Whether it’s a health benefit, the impact on the environment or a statement on your ethical treatment of animals, consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and distrusting – especially of large corporates.

Take the supermarket ‘fake farms’ debacle. Tesco, Aldi and Lidl were all highlighted in a National Farmers’ Union complaint to Trading Standards, with the NFU claiming ‘fake farm’ brands were misleading to consumers, especially when it comes to provenance. This was based on an NFU and YouGov survey of 1,800 consumersxxiii – three out of five thought these farm brands were ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ British, despite the brands’ ranges actually including imported goods.

Yorkshire-based Morrisons, which has always claimed strong links with British farmers, responded by committing to only sell fresh meat from British farms, and recruiting more than 200 local suppliers, to support British makers and improve traceability – a growing concern for shoppers, especially in the meat aisle.

So, although consumers interpret health claims and benefits to suit their own idea of health, they are far more cynical when it comes to ethics, as the general population becomes more aware of fake news, greenwashing and marketing tactics. Whereas 30 years ago, we were more likely to trust information from perceived figures of authority, we’re now more likely to take everything we’re told with a generous pinch of salt, mainly because we have so much information at our fingertips.


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Your brand story must be built on truth, and have the proof to back it up available across multiple channels if you are to appeal to the ethical, socially-conscious consumer.

Building these stories is involved, with many strands needed to build advocacy. For example, the Co-op recently announced that it would be sponsoring Park Run as part of its commitment to supporting its customers to be healthier. Coupled with a marketing focus on food quality, ethical sourcing and a retro-inspired rebrand, and the Co-op is building a story that appeals to its customers’ desire to make small changes that add up.

Sainsbury’s supported its ‘live well for less’ tagline by creating a living well indexxxiv based on what consumers told them the term meant to them, whether that was health, wealth or quality of sleep – 60 factors in total.

You can take the survey on their website and see where you rank against the national average overall, but you can also get links to resources that might help; services like Relate relationship counselling, Mind and local community connections to help you deal with issues with your holistic wellbeing. It links well with Sainsbury’s brand persona and taps in to a push from consumers for supermarkets to help them be healthier.


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According to a study by Oliver Wyman Consultingxxv, three quarters of consumers believe supermarkets have a responsibility to help them be healthier, as they control 70 per cent of the grocery market in the UK. Currently 81 per cent of people thought sugary items were on offer too frequently and 61 per cent thought there were too many unhealthy options on sale altogether.

Oliver Wyman suggests a number of initiatives that could help improve consumer health and forge strong brand loyalty in its Fighting Fat reportxxvi, from calculating overall health scores for a customer’s shopping basket (rather than relying on the current traffic light system) to using excess space in supermarkets for health clinics and fitness classes, or implementing bonus schemes linked to activity levels.

“Scoring the ‘health’ of an entire shopping basket, as Oliver Wyman proposes, may help consumers appreciate the impact of their purchases in a daily diet context, in contrast to existing nutrition labels which focus only on the nutrition content of a single serving of an individual product,” says Sally Moore.

“But even the best labels are just one tool in helping consumers eat a healthy diet. Even our current traffic light labels have limitations, with recent consumer research by the IGDxxvii finding consumers remain confused about the new terminology ‘reference intakes’ and dislike different inconsistent label


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formats across brands. This research found that although consumers value the display of traffic light signposting on front of pack nutritional signposting, and notice when this is absent, they tend still to simplify traffic light colours to just “avoiding reds” or specific nutrients they themselves are concerned about, like salt.”

Younger generations are more demanding than ever, spanning more than just ingredients. According to the WGSN Future Foods: How Gen Z Eatsxxviii report,

Gen Z consumers want to know where their food comes from and how it is made, and being the first generation to grow up entirely online, they expect to get all the information they want about the products they buy. They will scrutinise nutrition labels, look up ingredients online, and choose organic, minimally-processed products. And while they are increasingly conscious of what they put into their bodies and how it makes them feel, young consumers also care deeply about how their habits affect the environment.

In fact, Nielsen reports that Gen-Z are willing to pay more for products and services from companies who are committed to positive social and environmental impact.

Gen Z are also open to trying different ways of eating, based on what they’ve seen and heard online. Growth in veganism and paleo diets are driven in part by bloggers and Instagram influencers who, according to the WGSN report, make these diets look like ‘a very desirable lifestyle’.


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5. A desire to be beautiful inside and outWhat happens in food inevitably spreads to the health and beauty market. From green tea and pomegranate to turmeric and matcha, we’re increasingly seeing ‘superfood’ ingredients moving out of our kitchen cupboards and in to our bathroom cabinets.

And with predictions that the health and beauty sector is set to be the fastest growing in the next five years, it’s a trend worth tapping in to. Research by GlobalDataxxix forecasts that annual consumer spend per head on health and beauty products will rise by £73 to £487 by 2022 and of that total, skincare is forecast to be the fastest growing sub-sector, rising 27.9 per cent.

It’s a trend that Parker Williams is already working on. They worked with luxury wellbeing brand Green Gate to create standout brand and packaging design for its powdered health shakes packed with vitamins and minerals. Although Green Gate is a supplement, the dark glass cannisters, jewel-like colours and foiling wouldn’t look out of place in a high-end beauty store. Green Gate is a good example of a food brand that has stopped looking like food; it takes its nutritional and ingredient message and dresses it in the visual language of beauty. And it’s now one of the four top-selling brands in Harrods’ pharmacy.


29Created by Parker Williams part of Sun Branding Solutions


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Now, the team at Parker Williams are building on the brand to create cosmetics that draw on the essence of the supplements and continue the visual language of health that the food product established.

In fact, the visual language of health and wellness is now so well established that the lines between nutrition and beauty are becoming seriously blurred. And, with other products in the health and wellness arena, consumers are increasingly drawing their own conclusions around the benefits beauty products will bring them, based on their growing understanding of their ingredients gathered from multiple sources.

“Vitamin drinks with rare minerals look more like high end skincare products; the antioxidants that we find in our face creams are already being highlighted as a health benefit in teas,” says Parker Williams’ founder Tamara Williams.

“Now shared beneficial ingredients such as matcha and ginseng can be found in chocolate as well as traditional Chinese medicines, and they’re becoming far more mainstream and understood. Consumers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable and discerning when it comes to their beauty products, and this offers a real opportunity to deliver beautiful, stand out design”.

Health and beauty is an emotive issue, as it’s so centred on how we look and feel. Biocol Labs ‘Something’ supplements range shuns traditional claims like ‘helps support health immune function’, choosing to focus on the change they’ll make to the way you feel. So ‘Something to Help You Kick Ass’ helps beat fatigue, while ‘Something for Happiness’ supports you through times of stress. So many beauty and supplement brands are now more focused on building an emotional brand rather than simply stating active ingredients and their benefits on front of pack.


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“With health and beauty, brands these days are selling the sizzle as much as the sausage,” said Sun Branding Solutions senior regulatory manager Tess Lawrence.

“The consumer is investing in self-care, so it’s often as much about the perception of quality and delivering your own personal beauty goals as it is about the ingredients.

“As health and beauty innovation often follows food trends, consumers are often already aware of the perceived benefits a particular ingredient provides. To make specific claims linked to an ingredient means a lot of testing and expense, which only the biggest brands can stretch to. However, more informed consumers are happy to buy in to a product containing an ingredient they already understand, without any particular benefits attributed, only the perception of that.”

Oliver Bonas beauty range


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6. So, what’s the next big thing?Once a new ingredient hits the mainstream, it’s everywhere. Green tea, coconut oil, chia seeds – all once niche, but now a regular fixture on supermarket shelves. And for 2018, there are a whole host of ingredients lined up to make headlines. But it’s not just about ingredients; certain health concerns come in and out of the headlines on a regular basis, changing the consumer’s focus to a different need in both the short and long term.

“2018’s big trends are set to be Poke (raw fish salad), cassava flour, seaweed, chaga mushrooms, and the continuing trend of using insects as a base ingredient as we look for more sources of protein in our diets,” says Parker Williams’ founder Tamara Williams.

“Hydration, heart health, digestion, energy levels and blood sugar levels are big on the news agenda, so could be next to inspire NPD.”

Texture, colour and visual stimulation is also set to be big business, as consumers look for something more sensory in their healthier options. According to Mintel, in 2018, the sound, feel, and satisfaction that texture provides will become more important.

And as is often the case, Asia is already consuming the products that the West will by buying into in 2018.

“From chewy beverages to complex formulations such as creamy ice cream with crispy chunks, texture can make products more captivating for consumers who continue to seek food and drink that is perceived as fresh, functional, filling, or simply fun,” the report states.

“Asia is a model for the potential of unexpected applications of texture in food and drink because the region hosts a range of beverages with pulp, tapioca pearls, and extra carbonation along with food that also boasts innovative textures that might be unheard of in other parts of the world.”


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A case in point is fermenting – a technique that’s been around for years in the East and Scandinavia, but that’s now becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Ready-made kimchi, kombucha and milk kefir, plus DIY kits to make your own, are set to be big business in 2018, particularly as our demand for holistic health grows.

“The types of bacteria found in ferments are thought to be related to the more widely known (and more clinically tested) probiotic bacterial species with the same assumed plethora of health benefits, some of which are still being researched,” says Sally Moore.

“Whilst the current consumer interest in fermented products may be driven by media stories, or the desire to reduce food waste, communicating commercially about their health benefits is likely to be a challenge following the probiotic legal decisions and the important need for clinical substantiation of any health claims.”

Health is going mainstream across all channels and will continue to grow this year – in store and online - with former disruptors now tapping in to the general family market. Recipe box suppliers Hello Fresh launched by not positioning themselves as healthier, but their focus on wholesome home cooked meals has resonated with couples and families looking to eat more healthily all week.


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And now the firm is looking to launch breakfast solutions tooxxx, to cater for customers wanting on-the-go alternatives and weekend brunch options that aren’t a full English or a bacon sandwich. The service still has marginal market penetration, but has clearly got supermarkets worried; both Sainsbury’s and Waitrose have been trialling recipe box options to target from-scratch customers who want a convenient way to experiment in the kitchen.

Once niche services like MuscleFood are also seeing mainstream growth; the service, set up to deliver high quality protein for body builders online, has attracted interest from families looking to eat better on a budget. Selling bulk packs of mince, chicken and sausages at prices on a par with Tesco, MuscleFood raked in £50m in sales in its last financial yearxxxi and now supplies products like its high-protein pizza to Sainsbury’s, the Co-op and Spar. So, not only is healthier eating having an impact on a product level, it’s having an impact on how and where we shop too.

Snacking will remain big business and, according to Sun Branding’s Gillian Garside-Wight, a continuing shift towards online shopping coupled with a consumer desire to tailor products and services to their own specific health framework could be key to innovation.

“Graze tapped in to both convenience and health by offering snacks that can be delivered to you through the post,” she said.

“They considered both product and packaging and have built a model that’s now moving into other categories too.

Health in ‘out of home’ eating is also likely to grow, with brands like Holland & Barrett recently linking up with juice bar Crussh to create a strong link to healthier eating in its flagship London store. Food to go sandwich alternatives look set to continue to thrive, and snacking looks firmly focused on healthier, high protein options that help


35 Createda by Parker Williams part of Sun Branding Solutions


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consumers reduce their salt, fat and sugar intake. From slight tweaks to established products, like lentil flour crisps, gourmet popcorn and flavoured jerky to completely new concepts, like hemp water and Soboro’s Korean inspired food to go, there’s something to appeal to traditional and more experimental foodies across the board.

Convenience and healthier eating are set to remain intrinsically linked; in 2017, established brands innovated with both format and product variants to tap in to this trend. Weetabix’s bottled breakfasts and Soreen’s snack packs and bars took existing products and made them more accessible to a time poor, health-conscious market, and this will only continue as the market grows.

However, according to Gillian Garside-Wight, brands could be missing a trick when it comes to innovation in convenient snacking.

“Convenient snacks really need to be something you can eat one handed, as you’re generally doing something else at the same time,” she says.

“We’ve seen some innovation in crisps – for example, the Walkers sharing pack – but not in the healthier snacking arena. Popcorn is continuing to grow in popularity, particularly varieties aimed at adults, yet no brand has really ventured out of a conventional crisp packet-style pack. Pack format is definitely something that could help healthier snacking products to stand out in what is becoming a very competitive market.”

Innovation is key to the success of supplements too, as consumers demand more than just a simple multivitamin tablet to supplement their health. According to Kantarxxxii, vitamins, minerals and supplement sales were up 2 per cent in 2017, but 2016 saw growth of 5.9 per cent, so sales are slowing. Multivitamins for kids and adults have been key growth drivers, mainly due to innovation in formats, and own label products have stolen market share from brands.


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In 2018, we’re likely to see this innovation continuing, with products like green juice gummy bears, vitamin sprays, gums and elixirs tapping into the trend for convenience delivery.

“Personalisation continues to be big, and brands like Vitl, who provide vitamins through the post, are taking it one step further. They offer a personal online consultation to provide vitamins based on your specific needs – not just nutritionally but it terms of sleep, stress and ageing – which then creates a ‘bespoke’ pack for you. This – plus the convenience – adds to the consumer’s sense of doing something positive to improve their own wellbeing, with minimal effort.”

Regulation from a Government level also looks likely to continue; in 2017, Food Standards Scotland surveyed the public to assess their views on health. 65% of people in Scotland are concerned about having an unhealthy diet – a rise of 15 percentage points since December 2015xxxiii.

It also revealed that over three-quarters of the population in Scotland are in favour of government intervention to limit how much sugar, fat or salt goes into food. The survey also showed a shift from respondents wanting FSS to ensure their food is safe, to a growing need for them to focus on helping people in Scotland eat healthily.

The Scottish government also looks set to regulate multi-buy offers on unhealthy foods in an attempt to slow down the growing obesity crisis.

Sally Moore says: “I so often hear that people are astonished with the sugar content of even savoury ready prepared products and I always find myself explaining the difference between naturally occurring sugars and those added sugars from table sugar, fruit juice, syrups or honey, which we need to cut down on.


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“It’s really confusing for consumers, not least because the total sugar content (i.e. including both sugar types) appears on our back of pack mandatory nutrition labels in the UK. For this reason, even adding tomatoes to your recipe can add to sugar contentxxxiv. The Governmental pressure on food companies now is to support reversing the obesity epidemic by working to reduce sugar in specific existing products including cereals, yogurts and biscuits, by 2020, by 20 per centxxxv.”

The NHS will also be implementing a decision made in 2017, to clamp down on the high calorie, high sugar foods available in hospital shops. More than half of NHS staff are said to be overweight or obesexxxvi, and weight and poor nutrition is putting significant strain on health services generally. So, in 2018, 80 per cent of sweets sold in its shops, canteens and vending machines must be 250 calories or less. Plus, 75 per cent of pre-packed sandwiches must be less than 400 calories, with under 5g of saturated fat per 100g.


Our five key take outs

1. One size doesn’t fit all

As society begins to embrace varied body shapes and sizes, and the focus on mindfulness grows, there’s an increasing trend amongst dietitians and nutritionists to promote ‘healthy at any size’ and ‘mindful eating’, encouraging people to ditch diets and short-term food fads for a more sustainable approach to all-round health. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach; in fact, being able to tailor a healthier approach for your life is key to making any change sustainable.

“A focus on why and how we eat, awareness of your individual cues and accepting yourself are key characteristics of these approaches, which also take the pressure of failure out of short term fad diets,” says Leeds Trinity’s Sally Moore.

“Enjoying eating and taking pride and pleasure in this part of daily life is a growing theme in food retail and marketing and can still be remembered, even into January and beyond.”

2. Look for the next big (or small) thing

As in any competitive market, innovation is key, whether that’s from scratch NPD, a ‘healthy’ twist on an existing product, pack format or channel. With healthier living – nutritionally, physically and mentally – being high on the agenda for a large proportion of every demographic, betterment is certainly not a niche trend and can be captured in a number of ways, big and small. It's about making life healthier and making life easier, for a whole range of consumers.

3. Convenience is key

Personalisation looks to continue to be popular throughout 2018, especially if that personalisation comes with added convenience. For the online shopper in particular, clever use of AI and limited choices under the guise of a product tailored just for you, offer a combination of brand interaction and user interface that appeal to the health conscious, self-aware shopper.

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4. Beauty’s more than skin deep

The language of health is universal, especially when it comes to food and beauty. As the latest ‘superfood’ ingredients start to appear in our face creams and packaging that wouldn’t look out of place on a beauty counter lands on supermarket shelves, consumers’ understanding of the perceived benefits of particular ingredients can only help brand marketers get their product into the mainstream.

5. Help consumers make better choices

Although the fact that consumers use varying cues to determine healthy or healthier and occasionally fill in the gaps themselves, brands and retailers do have a responsibility to help consumers make better, more informed choices. And although nutritional labelling regulations are unlikely to change anytime soon, there are opportunities for product developers, brand owners and marketers to build on consumer assumptions to create a reality that matches their increasingly high expectations.

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Referencesi https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_

data/file/613532/obes-phys-acti-diet-eng-2017-rep.pdf

ii https://www.forbes.com/sites/thehartmangroup/2016/07/20/nutrition-101-consumers-actually-do-read-product-labels/#1309355845e6

iii New wellness foods 2018 – https://www.wgsn.com/en/

iv https://www.kamcity.com/namnews/uk-and-ireland/manufacturers/survey-finds-two-thirds-shoppers-buying-healthy-food/

v http://health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/A-Healthy-Weight-for-Ireland-Obesity-Policy-and-Action-Plan-2016-2025.pdf

vi https://www.kamcity.com/namnews/international/manufacturers-international/global-more-than-180000-consumer-goods-made-healthier-in-2016-report/

vii https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/salt-reduction-targets-for-2017

viii http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42174618

ix Meal disruptors - https://www.wgsn.com/en/

x http://www.waitrose.com/content/dam/waitrose/Inspiration/About%20Us%20New/Food%20and%20drink%20report%202017/WaitroseFoodAndDrinkReport201718.pdf

xi Future foods - https://www.wgsn.com/en/

xii https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/buying-and-supplying/new-product-development/weightwatchers-adds-balance-frozen-ready-meal-range/558038.article

xiii http://www.mintel.com/global-food-and-drink-trends/

xiv https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/healthy-wealthy-and-maybe-wise-the-emerging-trillion-dollar-market-for-health-and-wellness

xv https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/en/pr/Growth-in-butter-spreads-far-and-wide

xvi https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/reports/digital-features/food-on-the-move-report-2017/time-to-shape-up-how-food-and-drink-to-go-can-get-healthier/558586.article#Video

xvii https://www.sunbrandingsolutions.com/news-and-views/keep-it-clean-to-tap-in-to-autumn-comfort-food-trend/

xviii http://www.waitrose.com/content/dam/waitrose/Inspiration/About%20Us%20New/Food%20and%20drink%20report%202017/WaitroseFoodAndDrinkReport201718.pdf

xviii https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/buying-and-supplying/categories/ambient/beauty-food-functional-food-and-drink-report-2017/554796.article


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xix https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/news/20131212/celiac-disease-gluten-sensitive#1

xx https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/mar/11/know-what-you-eat-health-halo

xxi Meal disruptors - https://www.wgsn.com/en/

xxii http://hcp.yakult. co.uk/lcs-research/re/

xxiii https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/buying-and-supplying/nfu-launches-official-complaint-over-fake-farm-branding/539314.article

xxiv https://www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/about-us/live-well-for-less/living-well-index

xxv https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/channels/supermarkets/consumers-call-for-supermarket-help-with-eating-healthily/554204.article

xxvi http://www.oliverwyman.com/content/dam/oliver-wyman/global/en/2016/apr/OW_Fighting_Fat.pdf

xxvii https://www.igd.com/charitable-impact/healthy-eating/nutrition-information-on-pack

xxviii Future foods - https://www.wgsn.com/en/

xxix https://www.kamcity.com/namnews/uk-and-ireland/healthbeauty/uk-health-beauty-market-set-outperform-sectors/

xxx https://www.retail-week.com/sectors/grocery/the-disruptors-who-is-giving-grocers-food-for-thought/7027246.article?blocktitle=our-top-grocery-story&contentid=17547

xxxi https://www.retail-week.com/sectors/grocery/the-disruptors-who-is-giving-grocers-food-for-thought/7027246.article?blocktitle=our-top-grocery-story&contentid=17547

xxxii https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/reports/category-reports/wonka-wellness-healthcare-and-supplements-category-report-2017/553691.article

xxxiii http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/news-and-alerts/food-standards-scotland-survey-shows-increasing-public-concern-over-diet-in-scotland

xxxiv https://www.nutrition.org.uk/attachments/article/882/Exploring%20%20sugars%20in%20the%20foods%20we%20buy%20FAQ.pdf

xxxv https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childhood-obesity-a-plan-for-action

xxxvi http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/super-size-snacks-chop-hospital-11348725


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About Sun Branding SolutionsAt the heart of Sun Branding Solutions is a team of brand, innovation and packaging experts, drawn from five different specialisms but with one shared focus; creating the very brightest ideas for brands.

Each team, whether it’s strategic design, pack science, graphics, legal or digital, is brilliant in its own right, and you can work with one, two, or as many as you need to get your big idea off the drawing board and into your customer’s shopping basket. But it’s when the teams come together that we’re at our very brightest.

Our experts’ combined experience and insight, gathered from many years working with big name brands and retailers, is what shapes the way we work - with our clients and with each other.

Because even if one specialism isn’t directly working on your project, their insight and knowledge of your market has gone in to shaping what we deliver, and how. That means more creativity, more innovation and more for your money.

Our experts are brighter together, and with them on your side, your brand will shine brighter too.

For more news, views and insight, log on towww.sunbrandingsolutions.com

Want to chat about a project?

Give us a call on 01274 200700 oremail [email protected]

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