Do Indian buyers believe “high protein” claims on packaged food?
Mostly not. 81% of buyer opinions on whether a packaged food's protein claim is credible are negative, against 31% of opinions on the quality of the protein itself (NBW Brain, March–September 2026). Buyers doubt the label more than the product.
The finding in brief
- Claim credibility: 81% negative.
- Ingredient trust: 56% negative.
- Brand trust: 52% negative.
- Protein quality: 31% negative.
From the report
Belief in the claim versus opinion of the protein
Claim credibility
81% negative
Ingredient trust
56% negative
Brand trust
52% negative
Protein quality
31% negative
Positive Negative mixed or neutral
“They're calling 4gm protein in 35 gms as high protein. That's not even 12%.”
What it means for brands
The barrier is belief, not appetite. Proof a buyer can check, such as a working batch-test QR code, a third-party result or protein per serving printed next to calories, is the opportunity worth testing.
Questions
- Why do buyers doubt high-protein labels?
- Buyers now audit labels themselves: they work out protein per serving, compare the pack with the listing and question claims that look too good. The doubt is not led by label-audit creators: 94% of it sits outside their discussions.
- Is this based on sales data?
- No. NBW Brain findings come from what Indian buyers say they did and why, in their own words, coded to a fixed codebook and checked against independent market research. They are not purchase data and not a representative survey, so shares describe the evidence, not the whole market.
How to read this: shares describe the evidence, with the base (n) shown. Findings come from what Indian buyers say they did and why, in their own words. Not purchase data and not a representative survey.