• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, November 4, 2010

Grappling with product content and marketing approaches in the face of growing consumer concerns about obesity and other chronic health problems will continue to be one of the biggest issues affecting global food and beverage makers' product development and marketing strategies in 2011, according to a new, category-spanning CPG trends analysis by Mintel.

This is far from news to U.S. food and beverage manufactures and grocery retailers, who are developing their own new front-of-package nutrition label system for a launch early next year.  However, Mintel defines one of its 12 key CPG trends in terms of decisions about "quiet" versus overt reductions of ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), sugar and sodium, and maintains that the big underlying issue is brands' need to decide whether to "counter or cater to obesity." 

The redefining of "natural" is another key, ongoing trend relating to transparency. "All-natural" claims "continue to be ill-defined and under fire, leading to a 'natural shakedown,'" says Mintel. 

Other trends include a new variation on "less is more," "econo-chic," blurring product categories, simplicity for older consumers, and more "cradle-to-grave" marketing.