Gluten-Free Labeling Best Practices

Manufacturers can instill even more confidence in their labeling by adhering to agreed-upon terminology. In most cases, employing the term “gluten-free” is the safest bet because it is the wording used by FDA. Avoid potentially confusing terms like “gluten friendly” or “gluten-free as defined by FDA,” because these terms raise more questions than they answer, and don’t really tell you anything about what the product does or does not contain. Rather than reassuring consumers, using this kind of imprecise, subjective wording is more likely to cast doubt on the reliability of your information.

It’s also important to avoid designing and using your own gluten-free logo. Like creative uses of terminology, this can undermine confidence in your trustworthiness. Consumers who adopt a gluten-free diet are generally well acquainted with marks for gluten-free certification and can see right through copycat designs. In most cases, sticking with a mark from a recognized certification is the best way to go.

Transparency in labeling is especially important because consumers in the gluten-free community are extremely active on social media, and many of their interactions take place in private online groups. It’s common practice for members to trade product recommendations (or warnings), and many consumers will only purchase products that have been certified as gluten-free. Social media influencers also play a big role in shaping consumer opinion, whether they are doing a paid sponsorship for a gluten-free product or recommending a favorite brand out of personal preference.

To promote transparency, make sure any certification marks and “gluten-free” claims are placed prominently on your packaging. In general, it’s best to place these elements on the front, top, and sides of packages and reserve the back for ingredient lists and other information. For Millennial and Gen Z consumers, the ability to tell at a glance whether a product is gluten-free is a selling point, while Gen Xers and Baby Boomers tend to gravitate toward and examine the back of the box for more detailed information about ingredients and manufacturing processes. By paying attention to placement of your logos, word choices, and ingredient lists, you can meet the needs of gluten-free consumers from all generations.

Marketing

With more people using their phones to research products and shop online, your website has the potential to become a powerful marketing tool. Given the limited space available on food packaging, your website is an ideal place to provide details that don’t fit on your labels and to give consumers conducting product research the information they need. Your website is also the perfect place to address frequently asked questions, provided you present information in clear, accurate, and accessible language, and understand and can support any gluten-free claims.

Third-party certifications like GFCO are another powerful tool for earning consumer trust and providing an added layer of protection. Again, consumers instantly recognize and trust the products that carry gluten-free marks from recognized organizations. When displayed prominently on your packaging, certification marks can provide persuasive validation that your products meet rigorous standards for preventing cross-contamination as well as FDA’s threshold requirements for gluten-free foods.

If transparency is the foundation of trust and ultimately of brand loyalty, then adopting best practices in labeling will certainly enhance your reputation in the gluten-free community. For consumers with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, transparent, easy-to-find labeling is a vital resource for maintaining health—and may be the deciding factor that causes consumers to reach for your brand over other products.

Reid is the marketing manager for the nonprofit Gluten Intolerance Group. Reach her at [email protected]. Dr. Allred is the regulatory manager for the Gluten Intolerance Group Gluten-Free Certification Organization. Reach her at [email protected].