Food & Ingredients International April 2024

for functional food launches. For example,
between September 2021 and August 2023,
India’s launches stood at 13%, compared to
6% in those three markets, respectively.
Additionally, Mintel research reveals that
three in 10 consumers have consumed foods
with added health benefits across different
food categories in the three months to June
2023, with energy bars and packaged dahi/
yogurt being the most popular choices (38%
each). This aligns with trends observed in
product launches, with breakfast cereals (45%),
followed by dairy (26%), as the top categories
offering products with added health benefits.
Anamika Banerji, PhD, Food and Drink
Analyst, Mintel Reports India, said:
“The growing focus on health is likely to give
impetus to the interest in functional foods as a
means to achieve holistic well-being. Indian
consumers expect functional food and drink
products to deliver all-round health benefits,
addressing both the physical and mental
or emotional aspects of well-being. Also,
functional food consumers trust these products
to help them fulfill their nutritional requirements.
“The fact that consumers are paying more
attention to the foods and drinks they consume,
wanting to be more aware and in control of
their food choices, benefits the functional
food category. The more consumers read and
examine on-pack ingredients and health claims,
the more likely they are to try functional foods.”
that they will adopt functional foods if they are
convinced about their effect.
Consumers rely more on scientific evidence
(26%) when choosing a packaged food
product with added health benefits than
user testimonials/reviews (22%) or celebrity
endorsements (20%), according to Mintel
research. At the same time, consumers can
find it difficult to interpret on-pack nutritional
charts and their implications on daily health
and well-being. For example, 28% of Indians
aged 18-34 (compared to 24% of those aged
over 35) say ‘displays the amount of nutrients
on packaging in comparison with whole
foods’ is a motivating factor when choosing
foods with added health benefits.
“Economic and environmental uncertainties
have made consumers more conscientious
shoppers, and the necessity for brands to be
transparent has never been more critical, as
highlighted by Mintel’s consumer trend Prove It.
“Manufacturers, retailers, and advertisers are
under scrutiny and need to address the lack of
information on their labels, even substantiating
the claims they make. This reflects a broader
consumer expectation of transparency and
detailed information about the products they
consume,” concluded Banerji.
Ingredients check: Consumers demand
transparency
Indian consumers are increasingly interested
in understanding product ingredients and
nutritional information: 52% of consumers
expect a brand offering healthy food/drink to
provide healthy ingredients, and 46% are keen
on ingredient transparency.
Fruit- and vegetable-based ingredients are topof-mind
when choosing functional foods, each
accounting for 54%. Millet and ayurvedic herbs
are emerging ingredients of interest, each at 26%.
Consumers are vigilant when choosing
functional foods. About a third of consumers —
particularly those who are financially healthy
(31%) and those living in Western India (32%)
and metros (33%) — are clear about the fact
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