Getting a handle on "natural"

Consumers increasingly identify natural as an attribute they want in their foods and beverages, in fact, according to a HealthFocus Trend study, 77 percent of shoppers are interested in Natural Foods. But what does "natural" really mean to them, and how can brands deliver what they want?  For an effective strategy it is critical to understand not just how shoppers define natural, but also when "natural" as a brand attribute is most important to them, and how important it is relative to taste and price.

HealthFocus is exploring this topic in a syndicated study in the U.S. that will examine approximately 50 individual brands by asking shoppers to rate them relative to how natural they think they are. The study will also determine why each brand is or isn't natural to shoppers and how to improve their perception. Sponsors of this study will also be able to enter brands of their own choosing to see how shoppers rate them and how they rate against other brands.

The study will ask: for an open ended definition of natural from shoppers; whether natural means safer and healthier; how ingredients like HFCS, flavors and colors, sweeteners, trans fat, and preservatives affect brands; whether organic foods are considered to be natural; whether fortified foods are considered to be natural; how shoppers rate 59 different food and beverage categories when looking through a "natural" lens; and how shoppers rate approximately 50 different foods and beverage brands  when looking through a "natural" lens. Shoppers will view a picture of each brand prior to evaluating).