June 13, 2025 – The heightened scrutiny of so-called demonized ingredients indicates a shift from superfoods, highlighting changing food trends that pose both opportunities and challenges for the industry. Criticism of certain ingredients does not mean that products containing them will fail, as there is still room for innovation and education, In fact, it offers an opportunity for brands to convey their value effectively.
These ingredients often create uncertainty because terms like “clean label” and “natural” lack clear definitions, leading to consumer confusion. This means that brands must provide transparent, better-for-you claims that clarify their identity and build loyalty.
Demonized ingredients operate in a trend cycle, just like beloved ingredients do. In order to understand this better, Innova Market Insights has analyzed the current regulatory environment, consumer sentiment, and brand responses to better understand these patterns and their implications for the food industry.
Consumer Attitudes on Demonized Ingredients
For a majority of consumers, ingredients are not out of bounds. Most consumers do not check ingredient lists or avoid specific ingredients, so while cultural debates about “bad” ingredients deserve brand attention, they should not cause alarm.
Since no one — including experts — agrees on what ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are, brands can help by being transparent about their ingredients, processes, and safety measures. Clear, provable claims like “allergen-free” work better than vague terms, though brands have room to define words like “natural” and “clean” within their own story. Younger consumers will want verification of health claims.
Therefore, price and taste matter most to consumers. When choosing products, people prioritize affordability and flavor over ingredient concerns. Worries about artificial ingredients are secondary to these core drivers, meaning brands should focus on transparency, value, and taste rather than getting caught up in ingredient debates.
What Are the Issues and Opportunities?
Fewer than one-quarter of US consumers actively limit unhealthy ingredients in their diets, and even fewer avoid convenient foods that they believe contain undesirable ingredients. Although, only 55% of consumers feel confident in their ability to identify quality products based on labeling. This suggests that many consumers may feel overwhelmed by the large number of claims and the vague nature of several health-related terms.
Providing clear information should be prioritized as an essential step rather than an afterthought. While claims of being “better for you” or “free from” certain ingredients do influence health perceptions, these claims alone are usually not enough to deter consumers from purchasing a product, especially if they find other appealing factors, such as taste.
How Packaging Can Be the First Line of Defense Against Demonization
Consumers want clear information about ultra-processed foods on the packaging, so brands should include important safety details directly on the pack. Ingredient lists and nutrition facts are required, but additional details help consumers understand the product better. With only a small percentage looking for information online, making on-pack details crucial.
Packaging design influences how consumers perceive brands, especially regarding ultra-processed foods. Even as these foods face a certain degree of criticism, brands should refresh their packaging to avoid connections with highly processed foods. Using appealing images, colors, and key phrases.
Concerns about weight gain, diabetes, and other health issues have led to negative views about sugar, yet fewer than half of consumers actively limit their intake. Meaning brands prioritize great taste and satisfying flavor, whether using controversial ingredients or not.
Healthy products are preferable when they contain multiple specific ingredients known to have positive health effects. The target markets for these products include older consumers and children. Marketing claims can highlight what is included or excluded, such as low or no amounts of sugar and salt, high levels of protein and fiber, and fortified vitamins and minerals.
Although health claims alone won’t be sufficient to sell natural flavors if the taste is not appealing. On the other hand, artificial flavors may benefit from positive health claims, but brands will need to provide evidence to counter any negative perceptions about potential risks.
Prevalent Market Factors and Influences
The Make America Healthy Again platform includes the demonization of processed foods, chemical additives, and chemicals used in conventional farming. In April, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes. Two specific dyes were banned and food companies were simply asked to remove the other six.
Regardless of what actions the government does, or does not, force in the coming years, food dyes have been demonized. Fallout from the commentary around them is having a real impact on how consumers view brands and products with dye and considering new formulas or messaging around safety assurance is essential.
Meanwhile, health officials are still debating how, exactly, to define UPFs. Public health experts are debating how to define them clearly, which is also reflected in how consumers perceive their consumption. Over half of consumers claim to eat UPFs between once a week and never, which does not align with sales of these products or their presence in the market.
How Do Consumers Define Demonized Ingredients?
Brands of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) do not need to immediately change their products, especially those with strong consumer loyalty. About one-fifth of consumers do not limit certain ingredients, and limitation isn’t always total exclusion.
Many consumers do restrict their intake of sugar, salt, fat, and artificial sweeteners. Brands should focus on promoting quality ingredients like natural sugars and healthy fats and can also highlight indulgence while leaving better for you to other brands and products.
For future product development, brands should avoid specific undesirable ingredients. While existing products may remain the same, and research suggests it is important to reduce or manage sugar, salt, fat, and artificial ingredients in any new offering.
The Importance of Company and Brand Activities
Gluten has been somewhat demonized for long enough that its initial trend cycle has come to an end. While gluten-free products still have a place in the market, they may need a boost from other trending and healthier claims to remain relevant. High protein, organic ingredients, and the use of avocado oil (which is free from seed oils) are examples of such claims. Meaning that brands can either highlight the exclusion of other demonized ingredients or the inclusion of superfoods and trending nutrients.
Made Good and Lesser Evil are both snack brands that lean into the idea that their products are free-from specific ingredients directly through their brand name. Signaling to consumers that a product is better for you by calling attention to quality and better-for-you status in the brand name is a commitment, but one that can pay off through brand extensions and evolutions.
What’s Next for Demonized Ingredient Trends?
Claims-focused retailers make avoiding demonized ingredients easier. As consumers look to reduce certain ingredients from their diet, it is easy to become overwhelmed. Retailers with commitments to free-from claims themselves allow a break from package reading and hypervigilance. Retailers that do not specialize can use signage or product placement to offer guidance beyond packaging, giving the same effect without a special trip to a specialty store.
Brands should prepare for possible regulations so that pivots will be less painful if they need to be made. The most likely regulations involve front-of-package labeling and advertising restrictions, though ingredient bans are possible. Consumers want to know what they’re eating, even if they make bad choices, including the consumption of demonized ingredients. Transparency is key and consumers want information at their fingertips:
Concern about unhealthy food ingredients, such as artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or seed oils, are often part of larger trend cycles. While there are almost always demonized ingredients, those ingredients ebb and flow.
This article is based on Demonized Ingredients in the US & Canada report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more
