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Tate & Lyle: French consumers prioritise ingredient labels

2 Oct 2018

Tate & Lyle has found that, while consumers in France value both ingredient and nutrition labels, they prioritise ingredient labels.

Tate & Lyle has found that, while consumers in France value both ingredient and nutrition labels, they prioritise ingredient labels.

To coincide with the 10-year anniversary of its innovation centre in Lille, France, Tate & Lyle has published consumer insights revealing attitudes to ingredients and nutrients.

Key findings include:

+ A clear majority (69%) of adults in France surveyed by Tate & Lyle read ingredient labels while just over half (57%) read nutritional labels.

+ Awareness levels vary across different ingredient categories. For example, consumers in France are more likely to recognise sweeteners on a label than they are fibres.

+ Consumers seeking ingredient information respond more positively to plant-based options and those associated with whole foods. They are keen to buy products containing ingredients from nature, such as the sweetener stevia, when they are aware of the ingredient.

James Blunt, Senior Vice President and International General Manager, Stevia at Tate & Lyle, said: “Food and drink are at the heart of France’s national identity and these figures show that a clear majority of shoppers value information which help them understand what they are eating. Demand for plant-based ingredients is growing, as consumers seek more foods and beverages derived from fruits, vegetables, grains and other legumes.”

“With the continued focus on sugar’s role in the national diet, other nutrients such as dietary fibre haven’t had their share of the limelight, despite playing a key role in a healthy, balanced diet, and replacing sugar in some recipes. By talking more about the range of fibres available on the market, which offer many health benefits2, food manufacturers and nutrition professionals can help build public awareness of these ingredients and boost fibre intakes, which are currently below recommended levels.

“Over the past decade, Tate & Lyle’s food scientists in Lille have helped provide solutions for food brands across France to adapt their product recipes to lower sugar, calories and fat, and add fibre and protein, and demand for our solutions continues to grow.”