Kosher foods are loved by more than just orthodox Jewish people, as the market for kosher products has expanded to people who are trying to eat more healthy, despite studies showing that the foods are by no means healthier than non-kosher.
Newser reports that more than 25 percent of all new food that have been released since 2007 hold a “kosher” claim, which is a 10-fold increase since 2002.
According to NPR, the market for kosher foods has expanded from orthodox Jews to pretty much everyone looking for “purity” in their foods.
Newser notes that one analyst stated:
“There is a feeling by many consumers that kosher is somehow better, more wholesome,” says one analyst.
NPR reports that Mintel analyst Lynn Dornblaser explained the surge by saying, “There is a feeling by many consumers that kosher is somehow better, more wholesome.”
Dornblaser explains that the same kind of labeling fad is being seen with claims about gluten. Even if someone does not have gluten issues, they are still more likely to buy a product that is gluten-free, thinking that it must be more healthy. The reality is that it is not. But companies respond to what customers want, according to NPR. That means, as Dornblaser says, that, “We see those consumer demands showing up in these numbers.”
These days, there is also a bigger focus on what Dornblaser calls “inherent goodness,” meaning claims by products that “address the bigger global picture.” She says that the steady growth of labels claiming a lack of genetically modified ingredients, or ethical farm practices is a reflection of ongoing changes in America’s attitudes about those issues.
Are your decisions at the grocery store determined by labels claiming their food is “kosher,” “Gluten-free,” or “non-GMO?”
