October 10, 2025 – The concept of clean label continues to expand and has transcended the early days of focusing on natural and minimal ingredients, although these remain the pillars of the movement. Consumers are now paying ever more attention to what they are eating; labeling is key as they scrutinize and evaluate not only the quality and safety of the ingredients but the path that these ingredients have taken and the impact they have had on the wider environment. Innova Market Insights highlights key trends shaping the European clean label food and beverage scene. We examine consumer drivers, new product launch trends, and innovation.
European Consumers Want Real and Natural
Consumers are making choices between more natural, less processed food and food and beverages that are deemed to be bad for their health, such as those containing artificial ingredients or that are more highly processed. Consumers are drawn to claims regarding real and natural ingredients, associating these ideas with positive health results. The backlash against ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is also contributing to demand for raw and unprocessed products. Clean label trends show that brands are shifting attention to minimal processing. The US leads in this messaging, but there are opportunities for this to develop in the European markets.
Naturalness is at the Core of Clean Label
Natural and clean label play an important role in healthy eating. In fact, 39% of consumers say they consider food and beverage products with natural ingredients to be clean label. Of these, fresh foods are at the forefront of what European consumers consume to eat healthily, with 30% of consumers saying they choose natural food for its inherent nutritional value. Fresh foods that European consumers prioritize the most are fruits (65%) and vegetables (57%). Additionally, consumers in Europe strongly associate naturalness with healthy flavors. Clean label trends further highlight this connection, as seen in recent product launches like Revibed’s Immunity Superfood Infusions Passion Fruit And Ginger Flavored Lightly Sparkling Water with Vitamins.
Consumers Avoiding Artificial Sweeteners and Colorings
While European consumers seek more fresh food, many are actively avoiding additives and preservatives. 45% avoid artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose, and 40% avoid artificial food colorings like Red 40 and Yellow 5). For many European consumers, knowing if these ingredients are in food and beverage products is a way of assessing a product’s quality. Brands can use claims of natural sweeteners or no additives or preservatives to convince European consumers of their clean label credentials.
Transparency Builds Trust
Most European consumers read food and beverage labels when making a purchase and are looking for claims surrounding clean labels. Minimal processing and short, simple ingredient lists are key. Brands need to be clear, open, and build trust. In spring 2025, M&S Food disrupted the cereal aisle in the UK with the launch of its Only… Ingredients range of breakfast cereals, with the concept quickly being extended to date bars, bread and oat milk, catering to the consumer demand for transparency in food and beverage.
Right now, around 1 in 3 new European launches carry a clean label claim. Clean label trends show that European consumers particularly value products with environmental and organic claims. There is no clear pattern to the level of importance by generation. Millennials and Boomers over-index for feeling that brand transparency is very or somewhat important. Numbers are the lowest for Generation Z; brand activity highlighting sourcing the of ingredients, etc., through tech such as QR codes could increase engagement with this issue.
The Environment is Also Important for Consumers
The health of the planet has become consumers’ #1 overall concern in recent years, and this will impact future demand in many areas. 90% of consumers said sustainability is important to some degree when buying food and drinks. Clean labels are no longer just about ingredients in formulations, but also about how these ingredients are produced. Consumers want to know about the impact food and beverage production is having on the environment and what sustainability measures brands are taking in sourcing ingredients. Clean label trends reflect this growing demand for transparency and accountability in production. However, only about half of consumers are willing to pay for higher sustainability standards. If consumers want more sustainable and ethically cleaner products, brands must be able to demonstrate the cost benefits against more economically positioned alternatives. This is tricky to navigate when many consumers are facing a cost-of-living crisis.
Use Tech to Educate
Advances in technology are driving innovative solutions to pressing global issues and empowering consumers in new ways in areas such as work, health and entertainment. Digital tools are becoming more important not only for managing one’s own personal health but also for gaining nutrition, production, and ethical information about brands and products. The use of tech is changing how and when consumers make decisions about the healthfulness of a product. Openness to using connective technologies, such as QR codes, does vary by region and generation, with Gen Z and Millennials more likely to use technology in this way, but is becoming ever more important in messaging nutritional information and ingredient sourcing.
What’s Next in Clean Label Trends in Europe?
Clarity is key, and 73% of European consumers say they are concerned about food quality. Simple ingredient lists with recognizable ingredients and clear details of sourcing will all empower consumers in purchase decisions, especially as 39% of European consumers always or often actively seek information on food quality before purchasing products. Minimally processed is a packaging term more widely used in the US than elsewhere, but as the backlash against UPFs continues globally, we expect more interest in using increasingly recognizable lingo and acronyms.
European consumers are open to using technology to support their shopping and eating choices and we can expect further developments in how this approach is used for messaging clean labels, but also to make it quicker and easier. Going forward, as the demand for clean label increases in Europe, we will also see increasing reformulations for established brands as a response to consumer pressure for cleaner options.
This article is based on Innova’s Clean Label in Europe report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more