New IFIC Study Reveals Over Half of Americans Are Impacted by Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities: Trust and Clarity in Labeling Remain Key Challenges

April 14, 2025

New IFIC Study Reveals Over Half of Americans Are Impacted by Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities: Trust and Clarity in Labeling Remain Key Challenges

(Washington, D.C.) - With Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 11-17) on the horizon, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) is highlighting new data that underscores the widespread impact of food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities across the U.S.

According to the IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans' Perceptions of Food Allergens, Intolerances & Sensitivities, more than half of Americans (53%) either have, live with, or know someone affected by a food allergy, intolerance, and/or sensitivity.

Food allergies alone now impact 6.2% of adults and 5.8% of children in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When factoring in food intolerances and sensitivities-conditions that are more difficult to measure due to inconsistent definitions-the prevalence of Americans affected increases.

"Food allergies and intolerances are no longer niche health concerns-they affect a significant portion of the population," said IFIC President and CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN.

"While the prevalence of food allergy continues to rise, so does awareness. Serving the food allergic consumer has become a more visible part of everyday culture-from servers routinely asking about allergens at restaurants to expanded accommodations in schools and other public settings," Reinhardt Kapsak added. "Still, there is more work to be done, especially when it comes to providing consistent, clear labeling and empowering people to make safe, informed food choices."

One In Four Americans Report Having A Food Allergy, Intolerance, And/Or Sensitivity

According to the survey, one in four Americans (24%) say that they or someone in their household has a food allergy (13%), intolerance (8%), and/or sensitivity (9%). Nuts were the most reported allergen, while dairy ranked highest among both intolerances and sensitivities.

Looking at the broader landscape, the top nine food allergens-often referred to as the "Big Nine"-include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, and sesame. In 2023, sesame was officially added to this list and must now be labeled in plain language on all packaged foods sold in the U.S.-a major step forward for transparency and consumer safety.

Despite this progress, food-related medical incidents remain somewhat commonplace. Sixteen percent of Americans say they or a household member have sought medical attention due to a food or beverage reaction. Among those individuals, nuts were the most frequently reported cause (36%), followed by seafood and shellfish (16%), as well as fruits and vegetables (13%).

A Clear Call For Clear Labels

Survey takers who say they either have someone in their household (including themselves) or know someone outside of their home who is affected by an allergy, intolerance, and/or sensitivity to food, were asked to rank their top three concerns from a list of potential food-related issues. Forty-two percent (42%) selected "unclear labeling information on packaged foods and beverages" in their top three, making it the highest concern overall. The concerns most frequently ranked first were: "someone having a reaction to food that you prepared" (14%), "accidental exposure in public settings" (14%), "unclear labeling information on packaged foods and beverages" (13%), and "eating away from home at a restaurant" (12%)-all concerns related to the need for clear and accurate information.

"The survey took a deep dive into how Americans interact with allergen information on food and beverage packaging-with revealing results," said IFIC Senior Director of Research & Consumer Insights, Kris Sollid, RD.

While 70% of those affected by food allergies, intolerances, and/or sensitivities say they are aware of food allergy label information, only 16% always use it when making food choices. Of those who use this information, just 34% said they have a high level of understanding, while nearly half reported only a medium understanding. And perhaps most telling of all: when asked if they trust allergen labeling, 67% said yes-yet that leaves a third of consumers unsure or unconvinced.

"Labeling is a lifeline for those managing food allergies and intolerances, but it only works if it is clear, accurate, and widely understood," added Sollid. "This is why Food Allergy Awareness Week is so important-it helps amplify conversations around food safety and health equity for those affected individuals and their loved ones."

As the prevalence of food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities continues to rise, the need for responsive public health strategies becomes increasingly clear.

"Our goal was to assess not just awareness of allergen labeling, but how consumers use and understand that information," Reinhardt Kapsak said. "While nearly half reported only a moderate understanding and just 34% said they fully grasp it, what stood out most was trust."

Among those who know someone (including themselves) with a food allergy, intolerance, and/or sensitivity -and who are aware of and use allergen information on the packaged foods they typically purchase -67% say they trust the information.

"If consumers do not trust the information they are reading to make informed decisions, even the most accurate labels will not serve their purpose," Reinhardt Kapsak explained.

View the full survey here.

Check out our latest Food Allergen toolkit here.

Interested in learning more about food allergies? Catch the conversation during the IFIC Expert Webinar: Food Allergens Masterclass: Myths, Facts & Consumer Insightson Thursday, April 24, featuring insights from IFIC Senior Director, Food and Ingredient Safety, Tony Flood, as well as experts Melanie Downs, PhD, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, Northwestern University. Each IFIC Expert Webinaris free and provides opportunities for audience questions.

Register for the IFIC Expert Webinar here.

Research Methodology

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online survey among U.S. consumers to measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about food allergens. Data was collected from January 18-22, 2025, via an online survey of 1,000 Americans aged 18 years to 80+ years, and responses were weighted to ensure proportional results. The Bayesian confidence level for the survey sample (n=1000) is 3.5, which is roughly equivalent to a margin of error of ±3.1 at the 95% confidence level.