Food labels can help consumers make purchases based on health, the environment, and social responsibility. However, these labels can be taken advantage of by marketers who practice “health-washing:” a tactic that conveys a false impression of health for the benefit of bigger profit. Well-intended consumers may purchase a product thinking it is healthier without knowing whether the health claim is actually true. 

The “real food” label is one example of an unregulated term that does not clearly communicate how healthy something is. Without an official definition of “real food,” marketers can loosely use the label “real food” as they want to and are not required to provide research to support the claim. It can mean anything, and a marketer’s use of “real food” may differ from a consumer’s interpretation. 

Consumers might assume it means the product comes from “whole foods,” is free of food additives, or that it contains very little processed ingredients. However, a product with this label can even be identical to a product without it, yet be sold at a high price, misleading consumers to think there is a difference. 

The term “real food” does not reliably describe the degree of processing a food undergoes, or other health characteristics. There is a range of processed foods and not all are considered unhealthy. Consider peas as an example:

• Fresh peas are the least processed because they have not been altered or undergone culinary preparation before they are sold to consumers. 
• Peas that are frozen or canned immediately after picking have been slightly processed to increase their shelf life. They have not been significantly altered in their nutritional content.  
• Peas that are added to a frozen pot pie are typically found in a product that is more processed. The frozen meal may have other ingredients added to extend shelf life and improve flavor.
• Lastly, dried peas that are pulverized into a flour for pea-flavored chips (crisps) are found in an ultra-processed food, a food with ingredients that have been highly transformed. Ultra-processed foods tend to be higher in calories, salt, sugar, and fat. They often have food additives, substances that are not typically used in cooking and added by manufacturers for flavor, sensory enhancement, and preservation. And yet, pea crisps can be marketed as “healthy,” “fresh,” or “real food.” 

This example shows how many different degrees of “processed” processed foods can be, and that regardless of these differences, these all could be labeled the same or similarly by marketers. 

Unfortunately, alongside nutrition misinformation, the “real food” label may reinforce a false perception that all processed foods are undesirable, when in fact some processed foods, like frozen or low sodium, canned vegetables, are affordable, healthy ingredients. 

Finally, while most research and media covering this problem has focused mostly on Europe and the U.S., this misleading marketing can take place anywhere. When purchasing products, it’s important to pay special attention to unregulated health claims because they are often not clearly defined and overseen by a governmental organization or a credible third party. 

Food packaging labels are used globally to communicate standard, important information to help consumers make informed decisions, such as food production methods, ingredients, and company values. Some labels are mandatory (depending on the country), such as the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list, while others are voluntary, like nutrition claims and health claims.

A breakdown of what voluntary nutrition and health claims on packages can typically include is as follows.

Nutrition (or nutrient content) claims tell consumers that a product:

• Contains a nutrient 
• Does not contain a nutrient
• Contains a nutrient at higher or lower amounts (for example, “low in sugar”) 

Health claims tell consumer:

• The effect of a food substance on a bodily function, development, or growth
• The effect of a food substance on disease risk reduction

An example of a health claim is, “Calcium is needed for the growth and development of bones.” Health claims do not correlate a food substance with prevention, diagnosis, or cure from a disease.

There are additional front-of-package labels that communicate values that may otherwise be unknown to consumers, such as the environmental commitments of the manufacturer or the social impacts of the product’s production method. These may be regulated by governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, or third party verifiers. One example of a label with governmental oversight is the USDA organic seal or the EU organic logo. Other labels may not be regulated at all. 

Producers interested in using a regulated food label often undergo a long process of providing the needed documentation and getting inspected regularly by a certified party to earn the right to use a label. These additional efforts may result in a higher price for the customer. 

In other circumstances, unregulated food labels may be used purely for marketing purposes without supporting research to justify a higher price. Nutrition experts recommend that consumers use discretion when evaluating unregulated food labels without governmental oversight.