clean label research community behavior report

Clean Label Research Community Behavior Report

Issue S2Clean Label Enthusiasts®& Supplements

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The free-from food movement is a multi-billion dollar shift in consumer behavior that is impacting companies within the consumer packaged goods industry. To know how to effectively respond to this movement, InsightsNow has launched a long-term research initiative applying behavioral science to generate insights for faster, more informed clean label decisions. Please read on to find the results of our 4th Quarter 2019 Report on Clean Label Enthusiasts & Supplements.

Section 1: p. 3: Overview & Study Detailsp. 4: Summary of What We Learned

Welcome to the Clean Label Enthusiasts® Quarterly Report

Section 2:p. 5: What Does it Mean to Have a Clean Label in Supplements?p. 6: How Would CLE Change Supplements to Improve Them?p. 7: Implicit/Explicit Test™ Methodologyp. 8: Flavor & Flavor Carriersp. 9: Naming Active Ingredients in Tabletsp. 10: Protein Sources in Powders & Bars

Section 3:p. 11: How Do You Find Out Whether an Ingredient Has a Benefit?p. 12: Sources of Benefitsp. 13: Types of Healthcare Providersp. 14 Supplement Brands & Retailersp. 15: Letter to Subscribers

Clean Label Enthusiasts® & SupplementsOverview:Clean Label Enthusiasts (CLE) are a behavioral segment, differentiated by their attitudes and avoidances of products with artificial ingredients and other additives that they believe are unhealthy. They tend to read ingredient labels and avoid brands due to these concerns. CLE comprise 27% of the US general population.

Not only do CLE tend to read labels, they exhibit concern about chemicals and avoid "unhealthy" brands. All CLE shoppers state that clean label concerns impact their shopping choices, versus only 22% of Non-CLE shoppers. 76% state that they avoid buying brands to avoid “bad/unhealthy ingredients” versus 22% of Non-CLE.

Study Details:We conducted 2 waves of online surveys with 453 Clean Label Enthusiasts. Participants completed a questionnaire that examined how, why, and in what forms they consume supplements such as multivitamins. They also completed an Implicit/Explicit Test™ to gauge their perceptions of various excipients in supplements.

©2019 InsightsNow CLE Supplement Behavior Report 3

Summary of What We Learned When asked to describe ”What you believe it means to have a clean label in supplements, and why

having a clean label is or is not important to you personally”, CLE focus on avoiding bad ingredients, trust and reassurance, and seeking out beneficial ingredients.

When asked ”What one thing do you wish companies would change about the supplements they make or sell?”, CLE emphasize ingredient quality, and companies being trustworthy and keeping their consumers informed.

CLE found cocoa, honey and vanilla bean to be the most acceptable flavors. On the other hand, CLE rated high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and erythritol as the least acceptable flavors.

Clean Label Enthusiasts® found turmeric and rice extract blend to be the most acceptable active ingredients in tablets, while they found metafolin and chitin to be the least acceptable.

CLE reported that sunflower seed protein, chia seed protein, and hemp protein were the most acceptable protein sources in powders, while pea protein, sunflower seed protein, and chia seed protein were the most acceptable protein sources in bars. Lupin flour, on the other hand, was rated as least acceptable in both powders and bars.

When they wish to find out whether an ingredient has a health and wellness benefit, CLE tend to do an internet search 48% of the time. Besides an internet search, the most common way for CLE to find out whether an ingredient has a benefit is to read the label and/or any certifications it has. Only 2% of CLE don’t tend to do any research about whether an ingredient has a particular benefit.

Over half of CLE get health and wellness benefits from unprocessed foods such as fresh fruit or vegetables, and almost half of CLE also get benefits from naturally sourced supplements. On the other hand, a very low percentage of both CLE and Non-CLE get their health and wellness benefits from added ingredients in processed foods or beverages.


What Does It Mean to Have a Clean Label in Supplements?

©2019 InsightsNow CLE Food Behavior Report 5

When asked to describe ”What you believe it means to have a clean label in supplements, and why having a clean label is or is not important to you personally”, Clean Label Enthusiasts®

focus on avoiding bad ingredients, trust and reassurance, and seeking out beneficial ingredients. This data suggests that companies that wish to cater to CLE should emphasize the quality of the ingredients in their products, which in turn provides consumers with reassurance that those products can be trusted.

Avoid Bad Ingredients

Trust and Reassurance

Seek Beneficial Ingredients

41%

38%50%

Other 13%

Avoid Bad Ingredients Trust and Reassurance Seek Beneficial Ingredients

No chemicals 19% Know what’s going into body 13% All natural 20%No harmful ingredients 12% Familiar ingredient names 11% Healthier 12%No artificial 12% Understandable 9% Actually provide benefits 5%No GMOs 10% Short ingredient list 6% Quality ingredients 4%No additives 7% Pure/uncontaminated 5% Whole ingredient/unprocessed 3%No preservatives 5% Safe 4% Real 2%No fillers 4% Trust/Honesty 4% Sustainable 2%No dyes 4% Ingredient sourcing information 4%Not containing specific ingredients 2%

Avoid interactions with medications/side effects 2%

No sweeteners 2% Ethical 2%No gluten/allergens 2% Peace of mind 2%No animal products/vegan 2%

The Trustworthy & Informed category are consumers who want changes to the information provided about supplements. Some are struggling to understand the information presented due to the size and jargon. Others feel like the labels do not provide the information they need to know. There are also concerns about what is being hidden or if they are even able to trust what companies claim regarding the contents.

How Would Clean Label Enthusiasts® Change Supplements to Improve them?


When asked ”What one thing do you wish companies would change about the supplements they make or sell?”, Clean Label Enthusiasts discuss the 3 general categories.

Trustworthy & InformedUnderstandable/clear 10%

Transparency 8%

Honesty 8%

Improved regulation/testing 5%

Easier to read/larger font 3%

Ingredient sourcing/expiration 3%

Clearer doses 3%

List ingredients 2%

Side effects/risks 2%

State benefits 2%

More information 1%

Scientific evidence 1%

IngredientsRemove chemicals/artificial 7%

Clean Label 6%

Natural/organic 6%

Remove fillers/additives 5%

Remove other 5%

Simple/few or familiar ingredients 4%

Safe/no harmful ingredients 3%

Remove sugar or fake sugar 2%

Better ingredients/quality 2%

Remove GMOs 2%

Pure/uncontaminated/non allergic 2%

OtherOther 18%

Less expensive 15%

Form/size 3%

Effective 2%

Taste 2%

41%

33%

37%

The Ingredients category are consumers who want changes to the ingredients used in supplements. Most want natural products without harmful ingredients or chemicals.

About 15% of Clean Label Enthusiastsstated that supplements should be more affordable.

Implicit/Explicit Test™ Methodology


In order to measure CLE consumers' reactions to various excipients in supplements, we conducted an Implicit/Explicit Test™. Participants were shown a list of excipients, one at time, and asked to select "OK" or "Avoid" as quickly as possible. Their choice and reaction time were used to calculate an implicit score for each excipient. Higher implicit scores indicate that participants were more likely to implicitly accept an excipient, while lower implicit scores indicate that they were more likely to implicitly reject an excipient.

Flavors & Flavor Carriers


Our study demonstrated that Clean Label Enthusiasts® found cocoa, honey and vanilla bean to be the most acceptable flavors. On the other hand, CLE rated high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and erythritol as the least acceptable flavors. This research suggests that the latter three ingredients (along with other low-scoring ingredients such as sucralose and artificial flavor) should be avoided in supplements that aim to appeal to CLE.

9186

858484

817979

7878

7777

7473

7271

706969

6868

6665

62606060

5750

4948

4644

4139

3737

3634

31303030

28272727

2525

2323

2222

212020

1916

13

0 20 40 60 80 100

CocoaHoney

Vanilla BeanVanilla ExtractCocoa Powder

Natural Vanilla FlavorOrganic Flavor

Natural FlavorsBanana Puree

Sea SaltNatural Chocolate Flavor

Natural Strawberry FlavorOrganic Certified Flavor

Coconut Water ConcentrateApple Juice from Concentrate

Orange Juice from ConcentrateRice Protein

Carrot Juice from ConcentrateAgave Nectar

AgaveOrganic Cane Sugar

Monk FruitBrown Sugar

Monk Fruit ExtractCane Sugar

SteviaMonk Fruit Concentrate

Stevia Leaf ExtractVanillin

SaltSugar

Tapioca StarchNatural & Artificial Flavor

Alkalized CocoaCarob Bean Gum

DextroseLocust Bean Gum

Gum AcaciaTapioca Maltodextrin

SorbitolEthyl Vanillin

XylitolMaltodextrin

MaltitolFructose

Gum ArabicLuo Han Guo

SucroseOligofructose

MSGCorn Syrup

Sodium ChlorideAcesulfame-k

Acesulfame PotassiumArtificial Flavor

SucraloseErythritol

AspartameHigh Fructose Corn Syrup

Clean Label ScoreFlavors & Flavor Carriers

Active (Functional) Ingredients in Tablets


Just because an ingredient is active (functional) does not ensure it will be perceived as acceptable in a tablet. Clean Label Enthusiasts® found active ingredients from natural sources such as turmeric and rice extract blend to be more acceptable that those with chemical sounding names. Curcumin showed reduced acceptance – possibly due to lower awareness. Clean Label Enthusiasts found Metafolin and Chitin to be even less acceptable. To ensure acceptance for active ingredients, use names that are perceived to be from natural sources and target consumers that are aware of the functional benefits.

85

61

48 45

26 25 23 21

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Turmeric Rice ExtractBlend

Curcumin MagnesiumCarbonate

Actifolin AscorbylPalmitate

Metafolin Chitin

Clea

n La

bel S

core

Naming Active Ingredients in Tablets

Protein Sources in Powders & Bars


Clean Label Enthusiasts® reported that sunflower seed protein, chia seed protein, and hemp protein were the most acceptable protein sources in powders, while pea protein, sunflower seed protein, and chia seed protein were the most acceptable protein sources in bars. Lupin flour, on the other hand, was rated as least acceptable in both powders and bars. These ratings offer insights into which ingredients should be avoided in supplements that wish to cater to Clean Label Enthusiasts.

81 80 80 78 78 77 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 69 68 6763

57 5451

4440 37

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Clea

n La

bel S

core

Protein Sources in Powders

9586 84 81 81 79 78 78 76 75 71 69 69 68 65 61

54 5246

0102030405060708090

100

Clea

n La

bel S

core

Protein Sources in Bars

How do you find out whether an ingredient has a personal health and wellness benefit?


48%

24%

12%9% 9% 7% 5% 4% 4% 4% 3% 2% 2%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

How I Find Out Whether Ingredient Has Benefit

When they wish to find out whether an ingredient has a health and wellness benefit, Clean Label Enthusiasts® tend to do an internet search 48% of the time. Besides an internet search, the most common way for CLE to find out whether an ingredient has a health and wellness benefit is to read the label and/or any certifications it has. Only 2% of CLE don’t tend to do any research about whether an ingredient has a particular benefit. These results are important because they suggest that food and ingredient companies should strive to be aware of the information that is widely disseminated online about their products, as such information is likely to influence consumers’ perceptions.

Sources of Benefits


Our study found that over half of Clean Label Enthusiasts® get health and wellness benefits from unprocessed foods such as fresh fruit or vegetables, and almost half of CLE also get benefits from naturally sourced supplements. On the other hand, a very low percentage of both CLE and Non-CLE get their health and wellness benefits from added ingredients in processed foods or beverages. These findings suggest that consumers of the future will seek out unprocessed foods, and supplements from natural sources, as much as they can.

56%

28%

12%

47%

26%

3%

37%

29%

13%

37%

22%

2%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Unprocessed foods(e.g. produce)

Natural ingredients inprocessed foods or

beverages

Added ingredients inprocessed foods or

beverages

Supplements fromnatural sources

Supplements withadded ingredients

Other (Please Specify)

Sources of Health and Wellness Benefits

CLE Non-CLE

Types of Healthcare Providers


48% of Clean Label Enthusiasts® have at least some of their supplements recommended or prescribed by a healthcare provider. Those CLE are most likely to get a recommendation or prescription for their supplements from a Doctor of Medicine (MD), pharmacist, or nurse practitioner. This suggests that MDs are the best source for supplement makers to target if they wish to market their supplements to CLE.

60%

19% 16% 15% 13%8% 5% 5% 5% 5% 4% 3% 2% 2% 2%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

What type of healthcare provider recommended or prescribed supplements to you?

Supplement Brands and Retailers


When asked to report the brands of supplements purchased and the retailers where shopping for supplements, Clean Label Enthusiasts® called out a wide variety of brands. The top performers were Nature Made, Nature’s Bounty, and Centrum. They reported shopping at Walmart, Amazon, and general pharmacies. Only a small subset went somewhere specialized.

1%1%1%1%1%1%1%1%1%2%2%2%2%2%2%3%3%3%3%4%4%4%4%5%5%5%6%6%

10%12%13%

23%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Doctor's BestAlive

Life ExtensionMuscle MilkEmergen-C

Nature's OwnRite Aid

Great ValueSolgar

Nature's BestWalgreens

JarrowSundown

Garden of LifeOlly

EquateNow

Nature ValleyVitacost

CVSVitafusion

SwansonKirkland/Costco

Spring ValleyNature's Way

GNCPuritan's Pride

One a DayCentrum

Nature's BountyOther Store Brand

Nature Made

Supplement Brands

1%

1%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

3%

3%

4%

4%

4%

4%

5%

5%

7%

7%

9%

15%

15%

24%

27%

32%

49%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Dollar Tree

Publix

Vitamin World

Albertsons

Meijer

Shoprite

Dollar General

Sprouts

Ebay

Vitacost

Whole Foods

Swanson

Vitamin Shoppe

Kroger

Puritan's Pride

Sam's Club

Rite Aid

Costco

Target

GNC

CVS

Walgreens

Amazon

Walmart

Retailers for Supplements


To our valued subscribers:

We thank you for subscribing to the Clean Label Enthusiasts® Behavior Report and are excited to provide this issue of our CLE Behavioral Report on Supplements. We look forward to providing additional insights through subsequent issues to help you achieve more rapid informed clean label supplements decisions.

As always, we welcome your input about how future issues can be of further value in helping you overcome the challenges of the clean label movement.

Sincerely,

Dave Lundahl, Ph.D.CEO, InsightsNow, Inc.

Published 4th Quarter 2019

clean label research community behavior report

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