• Login
    • Join
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Exclusives
    • Labels & Packaging
    • Markets
    • Technology
    • Equipment
    • Supplies
    • Buyers' Guide
    • Events
    • Jobs
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Exclusives
  • Labels & Packaging
  • Markets
  • Technology
  • Equipment
  • Supplies
  • Buyers' Guide
  • Events
  • Jobs
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Editorial
    Columns
    Digital Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Our Team
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    Top Features
    Label Insights: Kocher + Beck highlights GapMaster enhancements

    Die Technology

    Ink Innovation

    E-Commerce Labels

    Contingency Planning
    Breaking News
    Converter News
    European Label News
    Industry News
    Industry People
    M&A News
    New Products
    Expert's Opinion
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    TLMI reveals Eugene Singer Award winners at Virtual Spring Summit

    Monadnock Paper Mills joins SGP

    ACTEGA helps converter reach sustainability goals

    Bobst enhances design of Mouvent LB701-UV digital label press

    FINAT to hold online networking, educational forum
    Blog
    Video Bites
    Beauty & Personal Care Labels
    Beer Labels
    Beverage Labels
    Flexible Packaging
    Folding Carton
    Food Labels
    Glue-Applied
    In-Mold
    Industrial Labels
    Medical Labels
    Pharmaceutical Labels
    Pressure Sensitive
    Prime Labels
    Promotional Labels
    Security Labels
    Shrink
    Smart Labels
    Specialty Labels
    Spirits Labels
    Wine Labels

    Enprom helps converter respond to flexible packaging needs

    anytron assists medical device company with labeling

    Deep dive into the packaging supply chain

    Fortis Solutions Group acquires Total Label USA

    Schreiner MediPharm develops NFC-Label for Ypsomed’s UnoPen injector
    Africa
    Asia
    Australia
    China
    Europe
    India
    Latin America
    Middle East
    North America

    TLMI delivers optimism about future of label industry

    Five product label design trends for 2021

    TLMI reveals Eugene Singer Award winners at Virtual Spring Summit

    Monadnock Paper Mills joins SGP

    Epson SurePress reaches milestone
    Flexography
    Digital Printing
    Prepress
    Finishing
    Sustainability

    Monadnock Paper Mills joins SGP

    ACTEGA helps converter reach sustainability goals

    Bobst enhances design of Mouvent LB701-UV digital label press

    Epson SurePress reaches milestone

    Mark Andy organizes international webinar for students
    Digital Printers & Presses
    Flexo Presses
    Label Converting Equipment
    Label Finishing Equipment
    Prepress Equipment

    Bobst enhances design of Mouvent LB701-UV digital label press

    Epson SurePress reaches milestone

    Maxcess updates user interface for Fife guiding Sensor

    Mark Andy organizes international webinar for students

    Mark Andy launches monochrome digital print bar
    Dies And Tooling
    Flexo Supplies
    Ink & Coatings
    Prepress Supplies
    Pressrooom Supplies
    Substrates

    Monadnock Paper Mills joins SGP

    ACTEGA helps converter reach sustainability goals

    Dantex debuts new capabilities with white ink opacity

    VideoBite: Sun Chemical drives label and packaging innovation

    Siegwerk partners with Kotkamills
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Profiles
    Label Converters
    Trade Associations
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    KTI

    Ashe Converting Equipment

    Mechanical Specialties, Inc.

    HP, Inc.

    UPM Raflatac
    Industry Events
    Webinars
    Live from Show Events
    • Magazine
      • Current & Past Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Buyers' Guide
      • All Companies
      • Categories
      • Company Profiles
      • Label Converters
      • Trade Associations
      • Add Your Company
    • Labels & Packaging
      • Beauty & Personal Care Labels
      • Beer Labels
      • Beverage Labels
      • Flexible Packaging
      • Folding Carton
      • Food Labels
      • Glue-Applied
      • In-Mold
      • Industrial Labels
      • Medical Labels
      • Pharmaceuticals Labels
      • Pressure Sensitive
      • Prime Labels
      • Promotional Labels
      • Security Labels
      • Shrink
      • Smart Labels
      • Speciality Labels
      • Spirits Labels
      • Wine Tables
    • Markets
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Australia
      • China
      • Europe
      • India
      • Latin America
      • Middle East
      • North America
    • Equipment
      • Digital Printers & Presses
      • Flexo Presses
      • Label Converting Equipment
      • Label Fishing Equipment
    • Supplies
      • Dies And Tooling
      • Flexo Supplies
      • Ink & Coatings
      • Prepress Supplies
      • Pressrooom Supplies
      • Substrates
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Experts Opinions
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Infographics
    • Blog
    • Whitepapers
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live from Show Events
      • Webinars
    • Jobs
    • Resources
      • Supplier Gallery
      • Literature Showcase
      • Homepage Showcase
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Customer Service

    Food labels often hype instead of help

    ...

    Related CONTENT
    • CYNGIENT
    • Blog yourself
    • S-One celebrates 25 years
    • The Printer's Edge: Changes to the Print Industry Part 2
    • Make labels do more to inform, inspire customers
    Mark Lusky05.31.19
    Products claiming “natural,” “farm fresh” and “keto” properties often do a disservice to their customers, who latch on to the hype without drilling down into the food label ingredients to assess nutritional benefits.

    A May/June 2019 modernfarmer.com article sets the stage for this discussion: “Of all the meaningless terms in the food labeling world – and there are a lot – ‘natural’ might be one of the worst…The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) recently sued Hormel, the company behind brands like Applegate and Dinty Moore, for misleading customers with its ‘natural’ label. The suit was thrown out, but not before, as Bloomberg finds, Hormel was forced to give over documents explaining exactly what’s in its ‘natural’ meats – and even emails from employees concerned about the label.”

    The article continues: “Many terms that seem to signal something about the way the animal was raised –  ‘farm fresh,’ for example – literally have no definition at all. Anyone can just say that.”

    “Keto” is another term bandied about with abandon these days. A health.com article spotlights the challenges behind keto food label claims:  “According to a Nutritionist, the ketogenic diet is the trendiest diet right now, so it’s not surprising that food marketers are doing whatever they can to promote their products as keto-friendly. One of the marketing strategies is to display official-sounding keto certifications offered by for-profit companies on packages. These healthy-sounding icons might lead uninformed shoppers to buy items emblazoned ‘keto-certified,’ ‘certified ketogenic,’ ‘keto-approved,’ or ‘ketogenic-friendly,’ rather than a similar item without the keto seal of approval.”

    There’s more: “While foods with a keto certification may seem more healthful, the label is more marketing hype than an easier way for you to maintain your keto lifestyle…some people may be in ketosis on 40 grams of carbs per day while others can eat significantly more carbohydrates while maintaining a fat-burning state. Companies that pay to have a keto certification get a simple food label and nutrition facts review. If they meet arbitrary limits for net carbs or effective carbohydrates, they will be awarded use of the certification.” 

    USDA’s Natural Organic certification program is definitive and difficult to get – in sharp contrast to other health claims and terms that are more marketing promotion than anything else.

    Another modernfarmer.com article explains why: “The USDA’s National Organic Program is a complicated operation. Here are some of the challenges to getting – and staying – certified…As the only government-administered label that addresses farming practices, the organic emblem is vitally important. There literally is no other badge that carries as much weight. USDA certified organic-food sales topped $43 billion in 2016 – emphasis on ‘USDA certified.’ Ask around at your local farmers’ market and you’re likely to run into a few ‘all-but-certified’ farms (for which there are no statistics). The reason? Organic certification is incredibly difficult.”

    As the world shines an ever-brighter light on company claims and performance via social media, articles, exposés and reviews, one would think that consumers are working hard to separate truth from fiction. In reality, many health-hungry people accept healthy claims from food labels without first attempting to confirm their validity. Here are a few ways to turn that frown upside down:

    Read food label ingredients thoroughly. If something looks amiss (e.g., there are a variety of obviously “unnatural” and/or processed ingredients), do some online searching to check out specifics.

    Check product reviews, articles and posts online for an overall assessment. If food label claims are bogus or questionable, someone(s) is likely calling them out. Don’t accept any one, two or necessarily three evaluations because the source may be less than credible (e.g., a competitor or paid supporter). Look for consistent comments among multiple citations (e.g., the only “natural” ingredient was sugar).

    Do a self-test to see how you feel after consuming the product. While many products – ranging from junk food to highly healthy fare – may not make you feel any different, the key is to determine if and how you do feel better or worse after ingesting it. If you seem to have a negative reaction, try to determine what ingredient(s) is causing the problem. Lacking that ability, stop eating the product altogether. Remember, what works for one person may be another consumer’s worst enemy. By paying attention to what your body tells you, you can go a long way toward achieving and maintaining good health – regardless of what claims are on the food label.

    Separate marketing truth from fiction, first by studying food labels and then by doing some investigative reporting. Your body, mind and longevity will be the beneficiaries.


    Mark Lusky is a marketing communications professional who has worked with Lightning Labels, an all-digital custom label printer in Denver, CO, USA, since 2008. Find Lightning Labels on Facebook for special offers and label printing news.
    Related Searches
    • marketing
    • Food labeling
    • labels
    • digital
    Suggested For You
    CYNGIENT CYNGIENT
    Blog yourself Blog yourself
    S-One celebrates 25 years S-One celebrates 25 years
    The Printer The Printer's Edge: Changes to the Print Industry Part 2
    Make labels do more to inform, inspire customers Make labels do more to inform, inspire customers
    Lightning Labels now offering extended content labels Lightning Labels now offering extended content labels
    Social conscience, customer service…or both? Social conscience, customer service…or both?
    A label going above and beyond A label going above and beyond
    APR teams with SPL Consulting for process and lean improvement program APR teams with SPL Consulting for process and lean improvement program
    Integrity Matters Integrity Matters
    Give your company a New Year customer service audit Give your company a New Year customer service audit
    Label&Print 2019 returns to Birmingham Label&Print 2019 returns to Birmingham
    Wilson talks tooling at Labelexpo Americas Wilson talks tooling at Labelexpo Americas
    Tapecon continues 100-year evolution with help from Flexo Wash Tapecon continues 100-year evolution with help from Flexo Wash
    Flint Group announces European price increase for packaging inks Flint Group announces European price increase for packaging inks

    Related Customer Service

    • Label, packaging errors hurt customer service

      ...
      Mark Lusky 04.13.21

    • Top-notch quality won’t supersede poor customer service

      ...
      Mark Lusky 03.04.21

    • Labels in 2021: inform or entertain?

      ...
      Mark Lusky 01.28.21


    • Pandemic creates label ‘silver linings’

      ...
      Mark Lusky 11.12.20

    • Make your labels comprehensive and concise

      ...
      Mark Lusky 10.09.20

    • Consumers need to do their part to ensure product health, efficacy

      ...
      Mark Lusky 09.02.20


    • ScentsAbility candle labels inspire, touch the heart

      ScentsAbility candle labels inspire, touch the heart

      Some organizations are expanding their messaging to inspire and motivate consumers.
      Mark Lusky 07.13.20

    • Paying close attention to labels is critical right now

      ...
      Mark Lusky 06.04.20

    • Review, rethink label claims in light of coronavirus

      ...
      Mark Lusky 04.03.20


    • Capitalize on the FDA’s push for bigger, bolder labels

      Giving people easily deciphered and digested information about what they’re consuming has become key to health and safety.
      Mark Lusky 03.05.20

    • Customer Service Drives

      2020 Label Printing Advancements
      Mark Lusky 01.31.20

    • Great products and branding make a powerful pair

      ...
      Mark Lusky 11.15.19


    • Labels can meet many customer service needs

      ...
      Mark Lusky 10.11.19

    • Tiny type labels do not serve customer interests

      ...
      Mark Lusky 09.06.19

    • Emulate showcases why label design,print quality are so important

      ...
      Mark Lusky 07.10.19


    Trending
    • Mark Andy Launches Monochrome Digital Print Bar
    • Maxcess Updates User Interface For Fife Guiding Sensor
    • Epson SurePress Reaches Milestone
    • Mactac Acquires Duramark Products, Formerly Ritrama USA
    • Dantex Debuts New Capabilities With White Ink Opacity
    Breaking News
    • TLMI reveals Eugene Singer Award winners at Virtual Spring Summit
    • Monadnock Paper Mills joins SGP
    • ACTEGA helps converter reach sustainability goals
    • Bobst enhances design of Mouvent LB701-UV digital label press
    • FINAT to hold online networking, educational forum
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    April 2021

    • Label Insights: Kocher + Beck highlights GapMaster enhancements
    • Die Technology
    • Ink Innovation
    • E-Commerce Labels
    • Contingency Planning
    • Narrow Web Profile: Executive Label
    • View More >

    Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
    You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Contact Us

    follow us

    Subscribe
    Nutraceuticals World

    Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

    AstaReal Astaxanthin Ingredient Receives U.S. Patent Approval
    Study on Kemin’s DailyZz Botanical Blend Uncovers Sleep Quality, Next-Day Performance Benefits
    FDA’s Dr. Cara Welch Opening Speaker at the 9th AHPA Botanical Congress
    Coatings World

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    Jebsen & Jessen, Innospec Sign Distribution Agreement
    IGL Coatings Announces Partnership in Finland
    Axalta Schedules 1Q 2021 Earnings Conference Call
    Medical Product Outsourcing

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    Iterative Scopes Announces IBD-Focused Scientific Advisory Board
    Vicarious Surgical, D8 Holdings Corp. Combine Operations in $1.1 Billion Deal
    FDA Grants De Novo Clearance to Medtronic’s GI Genius Model
    Contract Pharma

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    Bristol Myers Squibb Expands at Cambridge Crossing
    Amgen Completes Five Prime Acquisition
    Sartorius Expands in the UK
    Beauty Packaging

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    Former L’Oréal Exec Joins Glossier
    Lancôme Reveals New Global Sustainability Program
    First-Ever Skincare Line Focuses on Iron To Prevent Aging
    Happi

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    Fragrance Creators Association Celebrates P&G Executive
    What You're Reading on Happi.com
    Former L’Oréal Exec Joins Glossier
    Ink World

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    Kumon North America Adds Speedmaster XL 106 from Heidelberg
    SE-DA Invests in Kornit Presto S
    Acrylic Resins Market Worth $21.9 Billion by 2025: MarketsandMarkets
    Label & Narrow Web

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    TLMI reveals Eugene Singer Award winners at Virtual Spring Summit
    Monadnock Paper Mills joins SGP
    ACTEGA helps converter reach sustainability goals
    Nonwovens Industry

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    Albaad to Add Natural-Based Line in Israel
    First Quality to Discontinue Tampon Operations
    Jessup Installs New Era Coating and Laminating Line
    Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    BioMagnetic Sciences Names President and CEO
    Mainstay Medical Launches ReActiv8 in Australia
    Biogennix Rolls Out Agilon Strip Bone Graft
    Printed Electronics Now

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    Virtual ASMC 2021 Spotlights Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Excellence
    LG Display Cuts Down CO2-eq Emissions by 3 Million Tons in 2020
    European Commission's Innovation Radar Acknowledges 3 ARMOR Innovations

    Copyright © 2021 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

    AD BLOCKER DETECTED

    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
    Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


    FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login