Nutrition labelling not valued by consumers, finds EUFIC

EUFIC – the European Food Information Council – has reported that, while consumers are aware of, and can make changes, based on nutrition labelling, they lack the motivation to factor nutrition information into their purchasing decisions.

The report noted that the majority of consumers are capable of making healthier choices without recourse to studying nutrition labelling, and that their choices would typically prioritise price, taste, brand and the desire to save time.

The study which gave rise to these conclusions was undertaken as a response to concerns about continuing high rates of obesity across Europe, and looked to discover whether nutrition labelling could help slow the rise.

The key finding was that, to date, no scientific evidence exists from Europe to indicate an impact of nutrition labelling – positive or negative – on body weight. Most studies included have assessed if and how consumers understand and use nutrition labels.

When prompted to identify the most healthful option from a given choice set of foods, the majority of respondents was able to do so regardless of the nutrition labelling system.

Modelling studies confirm that choosing diets with a more healthful profile will result in better population health, while bringing about substantial reductions in health care costs.

However, in real-life situations, such as supermarkets and cafeterias, price, taste, and brand were found to be far more important drivers for buying a specific food or drink product. Shopping under time pressure - a common phenomenon nowadays - seemed to further compromise the impact nutrition labels could possibly have.

Potential ways forward, said EUFIC, include increasing people’s motivation to read nutrition labels. This may be achieved by shifting consumers’ mind-set towards a health focus. For those with a hedonic focus on foods or who struggle with technical nutrition tables, health claims and health logos may be alternative communication formats.

Providing nutrition information on all products, in a consistent fashion, is likely to aid consumer acceptance and use, the organisation said.