--- title: The New Food Narrative - Food & Beverage Trends (Q4 2025 Update) description: Explore Q4 2025 food trends—growing scrutiny of ultra-processed foods, sweeteners & clean labels—amid shifting consumer sentiment and policy signals. image: https://content.brightfieldgroup.com/hubfs/The%20New%20Food%20Narrative%20Landing%20Page%20Graphic.png --- [![Brightfield Group logo](https://content.brightfieldgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Theme_BrightfieldGroup_November2019/image/5dcb26208870323275d245f5_BrightfieldGroup_logo_long_WHITE-01.png?width=500&height=141&name=5dcb26208870323275d245f5_BrightfieldGroup_logo_long_WHITE-01.png "Brightfield Group logo")](https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/) # The New Food Narrative: Ultra-Processing, Sweeteners & Consumer Skepticism​ ## Once accepted as industry norms, ultra-processed foods and artificial ingredients are now under fire. In Q4 2025, scrutiny of what’s in our food hit new highs — driven by growing consumer awareness, shifting values, and real-time conversations across social platforms. Discover how skepticism is reshaping the food and beverage trends landscape and what it means for brands navigating transparency, trust, and the future of food. Sign up now to download your FREE copy of the report. **Report  Highlights:** - **Why** clean label claims like “no seed oils” and “no added sugar” are outpacing traditional health callouts like “low fat” - **How** ultra-processed foods are being discussed online like toxins, with mentions up 72% year-over-year - **Who** the “ultra-processed avoider” is and why they matter - **What’s next**: The rise of functional alternatives like prebiotic soda, protein cereal, and clean-ingredient snacks - **Which** functional ingredients are declining and what this tells us about shifting consumer priorities Get the full report to see how trust, transparency, and ingredient integrity shape the new food conversation. ![The New Food Narrative Landing Page Graphic](https://content.brightfieldgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20New%20Food%20Narrative%20Landing%20Page%20Graphic.png?width=900&height=900&name=The%20New%20Food%20Narrative%20Landing%20Page%20Graphic.png "The New Food Narrative Landing Page Graphic") [Platform](https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/wellness-cpg-industry-insights) [Blog](https://blog.brightfieldgroup.com/?hsLang=en) [Company](https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/about-brightfield) [Resources](https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/resources) [Schedule a demo](https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/contact-us) [![Brightfield Group Logo](https://content.brightfieldgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Theme_BrightfieldGroup_November2019/image/5dcb26208870323275d245f5_BrightfieldGroup_logo_long_WHITE-01.png?width=600&height=169&name=5dcb26208870323275d245f5_BrightfieldGroup_logo_long_WHITE-01.png "Brightfield Group Logo")](https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/)