Stirling researchers develop new scale to define booming clean food market

As global demand for additive-free, natural food surges toward a projected US$250 billion valuation in 2025, researchers at the University of Stirling in Scotland have introduced a new classification system to help define what 'clean food' really means.

In collaboration with Ariel University in Israel, a team led by Professor Leigh Sparks has developed the Clean Food Consumerism (CFC) scale – an 18-item tool that captures the key drivers behind consumer preferences for food perceived as natural, healthy, and trustworthy. The research, published in Food Quality and Preference, addresses the lack of consistent definitions surrounding clean food and offers a framework for manufacturers, retailers, and policymakers to better understand and respond to this fast-evolving market.

“Consumers want their food to be made from natural ingredients, be additive-free, authentic, and non-genetically modified,” said Sparks, a retail expert at the University of Stirling’s Institute for Retail Studies. “These are the drivers of the clean food consumerism movement, and our CFC scale reflects those motivations and concerns.”

The CFC scale identifies five core dimensions that shape consumer expectations: authenticity, transparency, familiarity, ease of use, and healthiness. These themes were drawn from surveys with nearly 1,000 consumers, alongside a detailed review of existing literature on the clean food trend.

Among the British consumers surveyed, the study found that health benefits, ease of preparation, and clear information about how food is made were among the most important factors influencing shopping choices. At the same time, price was a notable barrier. “We found that cost remains a major hurdle for consumers considering a shift to clean food products,” said Sparks.

The lack of regulatory clarity around clean food labeling has added to consumer confusion, the authors note. Unlike terms such as “organic,” which are often subject to specific certification, “clean” has no single legal definition – making it vulnerable to vague marketing claims and inconsistent standards.

By providing a structured approach to classifying clean food products, the CFC scale could help close that gap. It gives food companies a clearer picture of what their customers actually want and offers a reference point for developing new packaging guidelines or product categories. According to the researchers, the hope is that this will lead to more transparency throughout the food system.

“Our findings have implications for manufacturers of clean food, namely that they should focus not only on offering food that is healthier, familiar, and of high quality to consumers, but that they should emphasise the transparency of the production processes,” said Sparks.

The CFC scale arrives at a time when the clean food movement is expanding across multiple sectors – from packaged grocery items and ready meals to fast food menus and delivery services. Industry analysts have attributed the growth to rising consumer awareness about health, sustainability, and food origins, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For producers, this means responding not only to nutritional expectations but also to ethical and process-based concerns. 'Clean' food, as described in this study, goes beyond simply removing artificial ingredients. It includes how the food is made, where it comes from, and whether consumers feel they can trust it.

Sparks and his co-authors argue that regulation needs to evolve in step with the rapid market expansion. “The clean food consumerism movement is moving at a fast pace, and legislation needs to keep up with that,” he said.

As clean eating becomes more mainstream, the CFC scale may offer a useful tool for both guiding new product development and building consumer confidence in a crowded, and sometimes confusing, market.

The full study, Clean Food Consumerism: Scale Development and Validation, is now available in Food Quality and Preference.