'Functional foods': the new need for social meaning
The functional food market is potentially extremely valuable. But, as Young & Rubicam's Kathy Wood and Tim Broadbent explain, marketers need to give functional food a social meaning, not just rely on nutritional benefits
Kathy Wood and Tim Broadbent
Functional foods is a catch-all phrase for products which are specially treated to give positive nutritional benefits. For example, Sainsbury's offers a white loaf with added folic acid for pregnant women, which is claimed to help prevent spina bifida in babies.
More controversially, Nestl's NC1 yoghurts have added lactic bacteria that...