The clean label movement now shapes how products are formulated, packaged, and marketed, extending all the way to the capsule shell. In today’s market, transparency, simplicity, and natural ingredients are no longer optional, they are strategic differentiators.
While there’s no official regulatory definition, “clean label” typically refers to formulations free from artificial additives, GMOs, preservatives, and synthetic colorants. Research shows that 81% of consumers globally prioritize clean-label products, making it essential for brands to examine every component of a formulation, including the delivery system.
Several converging factors are accelerating clean-label adoption in the supplement industry:
For manufacturers, anticipating these regulatory shifts is not just about compliance, it’s a strategic move to ensure product continuity, global market access, and consumer trust.
Two-piece capsules, especially those made from HPMC, offer clear functional, regulatory and marketing advantages over tablets and softgels in clean-label formulations. Benefits include:
Together, these capsule solutions allow formulators to select the right delivery profile, whether immediate or delayed, while maintaining alignment with clean-label expectations.
Replacing synthetic dyes with plant-based pigments is a core strategy in clean-label development. Consumers now closely associate natural coloring with purity, safety, and transparency.
CapsCanada offers a diverse portfolio of natural colorants that eliminate the need for artificial dyes without compromising capsule performance. These pigments maintain disintegration, stability, and machinability, while supporting claims like “no artificial colors.”
Titanium dioxide has long been used in capsules to enhance whiteness and opacity. However, following EFSA’s updated safety assessment, the EU classified TiO₂ as “no longer considered safe” for ingestion, leading to its removal from food and supplements. While TiO₂ is still permitted at levels below 1% in the U.S. and Canada, global momentum is clearly moving away from its use.
CapsCanada’s TiO₂-free capsule options, including K-CAPS® and G-CAPS®, use natural mineral opacifiers like calcium carbonate to maintain:
Clean labeling is redefining standards in the supplement industry. Consumers now inspect inactive ingredients with the same rigor as active ingredients, and regulators are stepping up oversight of excipients that were long considered benign. Brands that respond proactively to this change can build long-term trust and expand their consumer base.
CapsCanada’s capsule technologies, such as K-CAPS®HPMC, K-CAPS® Delayed Release, TiO₂-free capsules and naturally pigmented options, offer a comprehensive platform for clean-label formulation without sacrificing performance. By integrating these solutions early in the development process, you can deliver products that are effective, compliant, and aligned with the expectations of today's health-conscious buyer.