“Natural” Food Sales Remain Strong, Despite Lack Of Precise Definition Of The Term

The meaning of “natural” food may vary from shopper to shopper, and the term may not be strictly defined by the USDA except in the case of meat and poultry, but “natural” is definitely a desirable quality among consumers. Sales of foods labeled natural and organic increased by more than a billion dollars between 1999 and 2006 as consumers associated natural with healthy. Food manufacturers are taking advantage of the trend – and the lack of government standards – and are using the term liberally on packages. Retail grocers in turn have begun to devote more aisle space to products labeled natural, but are mainly leaving it up to the manufacturers to tell them which products qualify.