Why Most Functional Food Claims Fail to Convince Consumers

The credibility gap in functional foods—and how evidence-based communication can close it.

Aug 14, 2025

Walk into any health store or supermarket today, and you’ll be met with shelves full of functional foods making bold promises: boost immunity, improve focus, support gut health.

And yet, despite the proliferation of these claims, consumer skepticism is higher than ever. In fact, multiple surveys show that most consumers only half-believe what they read on packaging. Trust in brands is fragile, and regulatory scrutiny is tightening.

The truth is: most functional food claims fail not because the science is lacking, but because the communication is flawed.

Let’s explore why so many claims fall flat—and what brands can do differently to convince both regulators and consumers.

1. The Marketing-Science Gap

One of the biggest issues in functional food development is the disconnect between marketing and science.

Marketing teams want simple, bold promises.
R&D and compliance teams want precision and nuance.

The result? Claims that are either too vague to inspire confidence (“supports wellness”) or too technical to resonate (“contains 500mg of standardized polyphenols”).

Consumers are left confused—or worse, unconvinced.

Solution: Co-create claims from the start. Bring marketing, compliance, and science into the same room during ideation, so the final claim is both inspiring and defensible.

2. Overpromising and Under-Delivering

In the race to stand out, brands often lean into claims that sound impressive but don’t deliver in practice.

For example:

A drink may tout “immune support” based on a single ingredient studied in much higher doses than what’s included.
A snack bar may claim to “aid gut health” without specifying which probiotic strains and at what CFU levels.

Consumers try the product, don’t feel any noticeable difference, and quickly lose trust.

Solution: Use claims that align with the actual dose and quality of your ingredients. A smaller but credible claim builds more trust than a flashy but hollow one.

3. The Regulatory Tightrope

Functional food claims live in a gray area: too bold, and you risk non-compliance; too timid, and you fail to excite consumers.

Different markets add complexity:

In the EU, EFSA-approved claims are notoriously difficult to obtain, so many brands resort to vague phrasing.
In the U.S., structure/function claims allow more flexibility but require careful substantiation to avoid FDA or FTC action.

Solution: Instead of generic claims, emphasize benefit-driven narratives supported by science. For example:

Instead of “improves memory,” try “supports cognitive performance during periods of mental fatigue.”
Instead of “boosts immunity,” try “contains clinically studied vitamin C to support normal immune function.”

4. Consumers Are Doing Their Homework

Today’s consumer isn’t passive. They Google ingredients, follow health influencers, and even skim clinical studies.

If your claim doesn’t match what they find online, you lose credibility instantly.

Solution: Be transparent. Share summaries of the studies backing your ingredients, ideally in a consumer-friendly format. QR codes on packaging that link to research summaries are becoming a powerful trust-building tool.

5. Lack of Storytelling Around the Claim

Even the most credible claim falls flat if presented as a dry statement. Humans are wired for stories, not disclaimers.

For instance:

“Contains adaptogenic ashwagandha” sounds scientific but abstract.
“Formulated with ashwagandha, an adaptogen traditionally used to help the body manage stress, now backed by modern clinical research” creates both context and emotional resonance.

Solution: Pair every claim with a micro-story—whether cultural, scientific, or consumer-driven—that makes the benefit tangible.

6. Ignoring the Emotional Component

Health decisions are rarely purely rational. Consumers want to believe a product will help them feel better, perform better, or age more gracefully.

A technically correct claim without emotional framing doesn’t move behavior.

Solution: Balance the rational (clinical backing) with the emotional (the outcome that matters in daily life).
Example:

Rational: “Contains 1g of beta-glucans clinically shown to support immune defense.”
Emotional: “Formulated to help you stay healthy through the winter months.”

A Framework for Building Credible, Compelling Claims

Here’s a 5-step framework you can apply:

Anchor in Evidence
Start with high-quality studies, ideally human clinical trials.
Translate, Don’t Dilute
Simplify the science without oversimplifying it.
Contextualize the Benefit
Show when, why, and how the product helps.
Build in Transparency
Offer access to the underlying evidence, even in summarized form.
Layer Emotion Over Logic
Frame the claim in a way that connects with real consumer aspirations.

Closing Thought

The credibility gap in functional foods isn’t going away. Regulators will keep tightening, and consumers will keep demanding proof.

But that’s not a threat—it’s an opportunity.

Brands that master evidence-based storytelling will not only survive this landscape, they’ll lead it. The winners won’t be those with the flashiest packaging, but those who balance rigorous science with communication that both informs and inspires.

If you want your functional food product to be more than another face on the shelf, start treating your claims as a strategic asset, not a regulatory burden.