Consumers turned off by ‘vegan’ food labels, favor ‘Farm Fresh’

Fresh is hot, vegan is not, according to a new study of consumer trends in the food and beverage industry.

Fresh is hot, vegan is not, according to a new study of consumer trends in the food and beverage industry.

In a survey of more than 2,200 Americans conducted by research firm Morning Consult, 81% said a food or beverage is more appealing if it the label says “fresh.” More than a third said the label “vegan” made it less appealing.

The poll also studied online versus in-store shopping habits, purchasing considerations and product labeling.

Among other key findings, only 33% of those surveyed had purchased food or beverages online, and 65% of those who said they’ve never purchased them online have no plans to do so in the future, and 90% were very or somewhat satisfied with the grocery store options nearby.

“Fresh,” and “farm-fresh” were the top words or phrases that made a food or beverage more appealing, and “vegan,” and “diet” were the top terms that made a product less appealing, according to survey respondents.

These terms were true across all demographics, but when it comes to organic labels, younger consumers were more attracted. Of those aged 18-29, 54% said a product labeled “organic” was more appealing, compared to only 37% for those age 65 and older.

Food Labels survey resultsread the study here.” data-entity-type="file” data-entity-uuid="20f74697-a888-4831-b9ce-db0461559db8" height="431" src="https://ccms.farmjournal.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/morning-consult-food-labels.jpg” width="659" />

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