Thick and creamy: Health claims hurdles leading to an uptake in 'sensory claims'

Speaking to FoodNavigator at the recent Vitafoods Europe 2014 show, Georgia Taylor, marketing and claims manager at Leatherhead Food Research explained that may manufacturers are re-assessing their options when it comes to making claims on packs - and are often going for ones relating to the sensory nature of a product.

She explained that research carried out by Leatherhead found that consumers have a slight preference for products containing claims that describe the texture, smell, or taste of a product - known as sensory claims -  when compared to those that do not have such claims.

"A lot of food business operators are finding it quite a challenge to meet the conditions of use and the requirements set out by the regulation, so are choosing alternative sensory claims as a way to make attractive statements about their products where they don't fall under the health claims regulation,"​ explained Taylor.

Another issue, she said, is that certain approved claims are 'very technical' and difficult for consumers to understand.

"If you're making a sensory claim, usually they are very consumer friendly."​