New Study Finds Health Perceptions & Purchase Impact of Potassium Chloride Jump Significantly in 2020
Cargill’s proprietary IngredienTracker™ study uncovered very promising news for potassium chloride, an effective salt substitute.
A new 2020 Cargill study on consumer perceptions of ingredients uncovered very promising news for potassium chloride, an effective salt substitute.1
Potassium chloride is a common ingredient that can be used by food companies that want to obtain lower levels of sodium or boost levels of potassium in the processed foods they make. At a time when regulatory and consumer pressures are tipping the scale in favor of lower sodium products, it’s vital for food manufacturers to have safe, high-performing sodium reduction ingredients that they can rely on. That’s why potassium chloride is a leading reformulation option for reducing sodium in food products by the food industry.2
In this new study, respondents were asked, “when purchasing a food item, would this listed ingredient make you more or less likely to purchase it?” This purchasing metric, which has been tracked annually since 2017, has historically delivered negative results for potassium chloride.1
However, in 2020, the results of Cargill’s nationwide IngredienTracker™ survey, showed that potassium chloride significantly improved in terms of long-term purchase impact more so than did many of the other 230 ingredients tested. Between 2019 and 2020 alone, potassium chloride’s purchase impact jumped +9%. With a sample size of 1,748-1,790, this is a very significant win for potassium chloride.1
We found that potassium chloride is also improving every year in terms of consumer familiarity and health perceptions. 1 At a time when sodium reduction is top-of-mind for many shoppers, these positive perceptions of potassium chloride may help food manufacturers reformulate their products to help lower sodium and boost potassium levels.2