In recent years, there has been a growing trend of consumers seeking clean-label products. Clean-label products are those that use simple, recognizable ingredients and avoid artificial additives, preservatives, and flavorings. With the abundance of information available online, consumers are proactively researching products and brands to learn more about the ingredients used, nutritional content, and the company’s values and practices before making a purchase. Online reviews and forums also provide insights into the effectiveness and availability of clean-label products.
Consumers are increasingly concerned about safety and quality and, therefore, prefer products that are certified by organizations like NFS, Ecocert Organic, Non-GMO Project, USDA Organic, and the Clean Label Project. They also prefer products that are “free from” claims like No artificial additives, no preservatives, no animal-derived ingredients, no alcohol, no sugar, no parabens, no peroxides, no sulfates, and have not been tested on animals. Out of these, the organic segment across categories has found its footing amongst Indian audiences, with a major boost provided by the pandemic.
The increasing accessibility and affordability of products backed by organic ingredients have fueled their strong growth. As the wellness movement expands, the organic landscape has also evolved to include new elements such as traceability, environmental issues, and the agricultural industry.
Coming clean:
Clean labeling is no longer a consumer-driven trend; it is now one of the key rules of the game. This is evident from the rapid growth of the clean labeling market, which is expected to reach USD 4.58 billion by 2028 with a growth rate of 6.76%. The definition of clean labels, which is often associated with minimally processed foods, is expanding rapidly with a growing focus on plant-based nutrition with no or minimal additives and preservatives.
In this context, Nutrilite by Amway has championed the plant-forward approach to supplementation. Nutrilite product development is driven by stringent Nutrilite Brand Criteria (NBC) that set minimum expectations, which include ensuring the presence of botanicals in the formulation, use of safe and pure ingredients that comply with its negative list of ingredients, confirming the efficacy of final products through scientific evidence and guaranteed potency, a balanced approach to macro and micronutrients in the nutritional profile and following environmental stewardship by sourcing sustainable ingredients that are traceable to the Nutrilite Traceability Standard. For over nine decades, the heritage brand Nutrilite, built on the seed-to-supplement approach, has been growing raw materials on its own certified farms and partner farms, offering quality nutrition products worldwide.
In India too, Nutrilite has 14 Nutricert Certified farms spread across six states to actively source ingredients to support Indian and global requirements. This has enabled Amway to develop indigenous products using Indian traditional herbs like Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Amalaki, Vibhitaki, Haritaki, and more sourced from these organic certified farms. Known for its unique advantage of providing purity, safety, and potency by combining the best of nature and science with the best of Indian traditional wisdom, Nutrilite is keenly focused on strengthening Amway’s Ayurveda offerings in line with the rising affinity of Indian consumers towards Ayurveda for holistic well-being.
Keeping up with the clean label approach, Amway is focusing on simple yet powerful formulations across its categories. Weaving in the goodness of botanicals, Amway is increasingly focusing on products that are free of animal-derived ingredients; alcohol, sugar, peroxides, and parabens, making them extremely safe to use. This effort is clearly reflected in some of Amway’s new launches across nutrition, oral care, and beauty categories, which are aligned with clean-label trends and are seen to support the health of people and the planet.
Looking for transparency:
The concept of clean labels is gradually evolving into transparency about how food is made. The pandemic has raised consumer concerns about food safety and quality, accelerating the demand for transparency throughout the supply chain. Traceability essentially means being able to follow the path for an ingredient from the beginning of the supply chain—choosing the seed to be planted in the ground—to the end—the products in your hand.
Interestingly, Amway is one of the world’s largest owners and operators of organic farms. Its flagship brand Nutrilite, the world’s leading vitamins and dietary supplements brand, grows harvests, and processes plants in its own certified organic farms or Nutricert partner farms. The organic ingredients used to make Nutrilite supplements have a unique seed-to-supplement story and can be traced back to certified-organic farms where the ingredients were grown. Numerous records detail the life of these plants, from who sowed the seeds to even who harvested them and when. These safety checks and assurances continue through the process to the finished products boxed and delivered to the end consumers across the world through our Amway direct selling partners. It is a lot of work. But it impacts real people and their livelihoods and having that perspective when you are a global nutrition brand is important.
Rising Accessibility:
For new-age consumers, especially millennials and Gen Z, convenience tops almost everything else. From delivery within minutes to on-the-go supplements, this massive consumer segment truly values ease of access. With deeper digital penetration bringing in much-needed democratization, organic brands have superbly leveraged the opportunity of meeting their consumers on their preferred platforms. As consumers look for ideas and inspiration online, they will continue to experiment with new ways of accessing products. Consumers today are looking for more than just quality products from wellness brands. They want holistic solutions that address their individual health and wellness goals. Amway is leading the way in this space by taking a need-based recommendation approach, offering customized wellness solutions that are tailored to each individual’s needs. The company has been using its digital platforms to create relevant and compelling content coupled with great virtual experiences to make its consumers’ lives easier and more purposeful. Amway is moving in the direction of promoting healthy eating, bridging the nutritional gap, and encouraging physical activity and regular health checks. These efforts are paving the way to building a healthier population for the benefit of the nation.
With such tailwinds, the clean label market is not going away anytime soon. As consumers become more health conscious, the demand for clean-label products is likely to continue to grow. The trend will present a tremendous opportunity for brands to innovate across categories and bring products that would appeal to consumers and solve their evolving needs.
(This article is authored by Ajay Khanna, Chief Marketing Officer, Amway India)
