'Diet' term on food labels becoming increasingly unpopular, and consumers more drawn toward products for ingredients they contain rather than don't contain, industry official says

Nevin Barich

LOS ANGELES , November 17, 2011 (Industry Intelligence) – The director of Datamonitor said that the term “diet” on food labels has become increasingly unpopular, and that consumers are more drawn toward products for the ingredients they contain rather than don’t contain, The Boston Globe reported Nov. 16.

Speaking at a virtual weight management conference, Tom Vierhile said that words such as “zero” and “smart” are replacing terms like “low-calorie” and “low-fat” on food labels. The number of new products featuring the word “diet” has fallen dramatically over the last five years, Vierhile said.

Vierhile also pointed to a rising interest in functional foods, or foods that come with health claims. This is prompting companies to come up with products that are both appealing to consumers and deliver health benefits.

The primary source of this article is The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, on Nov. 16, 2011.

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