MaryLou Costa
Technology Reporter
Kerry Clayton
Working around food allergies is time consuming for Kerry Clayton
For gluten-free, citrus-free and tomato-free Kerry Clayton, shopping and cooking is a challenge.
As well as her own food requirements, her 10-year-old son is dairy and wheat-free.
The family shops at multiple stores each week to get the best free-from options, cooks adaptable meals like jacket potatoes and pasta, and makes cakes and cookies from scratch.
She spends about an hour a week baking, on top of running two online jewellery businesses and parenting another child.
When M&S launched its Only range in March, with products featuring six or fewer ingredients, Ms Clayton described it as “a dream”.
That was despite higher prices – its one-ingredient corn flakes cost £2.50 for a 325g box, compared with 90p for 500g of the standard kind.
“For standard shoppers, it seems a lot, but for us with allergies, it’s about normal,” says Kent-based Ms Clayton.
“It’s hard to find enjoyable things we can all eat. If you’re used to the luxury of standard cereal, you might not enjoy alternatives, or understand the extra cost – but for those of us that need low ingredient food, it’s perfect.”
Life might just be about to get a lot easier for Ms Clayton. More retailers and food brands are taking M&S’s lead to offer more items containing fewer ingredients, prompted by the concern around ultra-processed food (UPF) that has been growing since Dr Chris Van Tulleken released his book, “Ultra-Processed People”, in 2023.
There is much debate over how to classify ultra-processed foods.
BBC InDepth: Ultra-processed foodWhat is ultra-processed food?However, less processed foods are growing in popularity.
Matthew Hopkins, founder of IND!E, a platform which helps small food and drink brands get into big retailers, says he’s seen a 40% increase in retailer enquiries over the past year about products with fewer ingredients. He is taking bigger orders specifically from Ocado, Selfridges and John Lewis.
“Retailers are responding to growing consumer demand for simpler, more recognisable ingredient lists,” says Harrogate-based Mr Hopkins.
IND!E
Matthew Hopkins has seen a surge of interest in low-ingredient foods
Feeling the need to offer a less-processed product, plant-based brand THIS, which makes meat-free sausages, burgers, chicken and bacon, has recently launched a new Super Superfoods range.
It’s designed to be the protein component of a meal, and features natural ingredients, like beans, seeds and mushrooms.
THIS is also responding to surveys indicating that shoppers are avoiding meat replacement products, due to their processed nature and the presence of artificial additives.
Luke Byrne, innovation and sustainability director at THIS is concerned
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