Survey: Consumers want clearer labels
NEW YORK A recent Deloitte survey showed that consumers want their foods to clearly display key information, including country of origin, so they can make more informed shopping decisions. More than two out of five consumers said that they currently don't feel they have enough information about the food they purchase and eat.
Consumers' top three concerns were: 'Healthiness of ingredients' (61%); 'Possible use of chemical ingredients that are detrimental to my health' (49%); and 'Safety of the ingredients' (49%).
"Today, consumers have more access to food information than ever before," said Pat Conroy, Deloitte's vice chariman and US Consumer Products group leader. "Still, it's clear that what they are getting is not enough. Consumers are spending more time checking labels and are often overwhelmed by a flood of contradictory nutrition 'facts.' They seek clear, straightforward information they can understand so they can make more informed choices and better protect themselves and their families."
The survey was commissioned by Deloitte and was conducted online by an independent research company on April 21, 2008. It polled a nationally representative sample of 1,110 consumers and has a margin of error of +/- three percentage points.