Protein Label Claims Gain Momentum

As consumers across North America pay more attention to the label claims on the food and beverage products they purchase, one claim has gained momentum among consumers: protein. As consumers continue to focus on their overall health and wellness, food and beverage products that are rich in protein have a unique opportunity to resonate with today’s shoppers and the retailers that stock them on their shelves, according to a new survey by The Nielsen Company.In the United States, 35 percent of households say they follow a specific protein-focused diet such, as high protein, Paleo, low carb, etc. Meanwhile, half of North Americans say they eat a form of protein with every meal, and around one-third agree that the source of protein matters.Protein claims are also winning at the cash register. In the United States, products labeled an “excellent source of protein” grew 12 percent in the recent year, while those listed as a “good source of protein” grew 4 percent, according to Nielsen.Among both Americans and Canadians, meat, eggs and dairy are the top three protein sources, with seafood and legumes/nuts/seeds falling to fourth and fifth place, respectively.Findings from a recent Nielsen survey among consumers in Canada and the United States found that consumers on both sides of the border intend to eat more fish, seafood and legumes. However, 20 percent of Canadians plan to eat more legumes, nuts and seeds (compared with 15 percent of Americans), while 78 percent of Canadians plan to eat the same amount of meat (compared with 53 percent of Americans). On the other hand, 22 percent of Americans plan to eat less meat, compared with only 15 percent of Canadians.“Manufacturers whose products contain protein should continue to invest in marketing that puts protein claims front-and-center of packaging labels,” the survey report concluded. “There are clear growth opportunities to satisfy consumers’ protein preferences, and that goes for protein-hungry consumers on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border.”