Can anyone define ultra-processed?
What Does "Ultra-Processed" Mean to Your Customers?
Ultra-processed is everywhere: in headlines, on social media, in state legislatures, and now on the front of some packages. But when we asked consumers what it means, the answers were all over the place:
12% of Gen Z call an apple ultra-processed, compared to less than 1% of Boomers+.
Boomers+ check about 8 of 20 criteria for what makes a food ultra-processed. Gen Z checks about 5.
Only 38% say "made in a factory" counts, even though that's closer to how many researchers define it.
Menu Matters’ latest Grey Matter Report looks at how people define ultra-processed, where they learned the term, and what might change their minds. And it closes with a few ideas for operators, manufacturers, and suppliers to consider.
