Seed Oil Free Certified, the world’s first certification for products made without seed oils, has entered a strategic data partnership with SPINS, a provider of data and analytics for the wellness-focused CPG industry.
This collaboration provides the first empirical look into an emerging consumer preference: the growing demand for products made without industrial seed oils.
“Consumers are making increasingly deliberate decisions about the food they buy, supporting brands that are transparent, mission-driven and aligned with their values,” said Jonathan Rubin, founder and CEO of the Seed Oil Free Alliance.
“Seed Oil Free Certification is resonating with today’s values-oriented shopper. We’re seeing strong growth across certified brands, and it’s clear this is a trend to watch as more companies prioritize straightforward, minimally processed ingredients.”
Newly released data from SPINS highlights the surge in demand for Seed Oil Free Certified products during the first quarter of 2025:
- +216 percent average sales growth compared to Q1 2024;
- +410 percent growth over the most recent 12-week period; and
- Strong performance across both natural retail (+124 percent) and conventional retail (+225 percent) channels.
These results reflect a shifting marketplace, where shoppers are increasingly seeking transparency in product formulation, particularly around highly processed seed oils. A recent nationwide survey found that 28 percent of U.S. consumers are actively avoiding seed oils, driven by interest in simpler ingredients, less industrial processing and greater transparency.
Certification as a market growth driver
Today’s consumers are not only reading labels, they’re analyzing them. Ingredient transparency has become a key driver of purchasing behavior, with more shoppers actively seeking products that use traditional cooking fats in place of highly refined seed oils. Third-party certifications that verify ingredient sourcing and processing methods are playing an increasingly important role in building trust on the shelf.
“Displaying the Seed Oil Free Certified Seal on our packaging helps customers identify Daily Crunch as a product aligned with their values,” said Laurel Orley, co-founder of Daily Crunch. “We’ve seen firsthand the positive impact it has had on our brand.”
The brands tracked in SPINS’ Q1 2025 analysis all received certification after Q1 2024, suggesting this growth is not simply part of a broader category trend but the direct result of certification’s impact on visibility, formulation clarity and consumer trust.
Seed Oil Free Certified brands have reported:
- Stronger buyer interest driven by oil quality and formulation purity;
- Increased shelf velocity from health-conscious, label-reading shoppers; and
- Greater product differentiation in crowded snack and packaged food categories.
A full list of Seed Oil Free Certified products can be found at seedoilfreecertified.com.
The rise of seed oils
Industrial seed oils such as soybean, canola, sunflower and corn oil were virtually nonexistent in the American diet at the start of the 20th century. Today, they account for an estimated 20 percent or more of total daily caloric intake in the U.S., largely due to their use in packaged foods, restaurant meals, snacks and common cooking oils at home. Originally embraced for their cost and shelf stability, seed oils have more recently come under scrutiny from consumers concerned about industrial refining, high omega-6 content and the prevalence of highly processed ingredients in modern diets.
In response to this shifting awareness, Seed Oil Free Certified was launched in 2023 to give brands a clear and verifiable way to demonstrate oil quality and formulation integrity. The program has grown rapidly, with dozens of certified brands across snacks, sauces, frozen meals and pantry staples displaying the certification seal.
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