'Functional foods': the need for social meaning

Kathy Wood and Tim Broadbent

`Functional foods' (claimed to give nutritional benefits) are a growing and potentially very valuable market.

'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...

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