University of Stirling’s Clean Food Scale Provides Guidance for Transparent Plant-Based Labeling

The University of Stirling's new Clean Food Consumerism (CFC) scale aims to help food manufacturers, including those in the plant-based sector, align products with evolving consumer preferences for natural, additive-free, and transparent options. Through defining clean food consumerism through five dimensions—authenticity, transparency, familiarity, ease of use, and healthiness—the scale provides insights into what motivates purchasing decisions in the clean food category. Health benefits and transparency in sourcing and production were found to be top priorities for consumers, with price potentially acting as a barrier to wider adoption in the UK.

For the plant-based sector, which has faced criticism for the perceived ultra-processed nature of its products, the CFC scale could be valuable in addressing concerns over ingredient complexity and food processing. Emphasizing health benefits, ease of use, and transparency, the scale provides guidance for plant-based manufacturers to refine their formulations and ensure their labels align with consumer desires for cleaner, more straightforward ingredients. The findings also highlight the need for clearer regulations to match consumer demand for transparency and authenticity in the growing clean food market.