Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many consumers already read labels to confirm food items met their standards — whether in terms of sustainability or nutrition. However, the health and safety concerns that defined the tumultuous past year-plus cemented consumer interest not only in the source of the foods they eat, but also in the ingredients that make up such items.
“Due to changing perceptions from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are now much more likely to pay attention to individual ingredients in their foods and beverages,” says Timo Nieraese, senior area sales manager at Lecico GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.