Mindful consumption

Discussions of healthy eating are often led by buzzwords like “clean,” “natural,” and “organic.”  Organic foods in particular have led the market for some time now; however, they are facing a decline in consumer perceptions.  According to Mintel, only 26% of consumers trust organic food labels.  This is likely because most consumers don’t really understand what it means for food to be organic and because of a lack of consistent regulations. Additionally, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation, consumers preferred foods that were high in healthy components and nutrients as well as ones that were minimally processed/natural over organic foods.  Consumers are shifting away from specific labels like “organic” and toward broader concepts of health and environmentalism. This shift makes way for a new, more encompassing concept: mindful consumption.  Rather than focusing on one specific label like “organic,” a mindful consumer is focused on both…