Packaging

Deloitte Survey Finds Consumers Want Clearer Labeling, Country of Origin Information on Foods of All Types

Wednesday 16. July 2008 - Will Pay More to Know More About Meat, Fish, Fruits, Vegetables and Packaged Foods

By large margins, consumers responding to a new survey by Deloitte want their foods to clearly display key information, including country of origin, so they can make more informed buying decisions. More than two out of five consumers feel they currently don’t have enough information about the food they eat in general.

Consumers are very aware, the study shows, that this request for further transparency may cost them more at the register, with 73 percent indicating they would still want country of origin labeling even if it caused the prices of foods to increase slightly.

Overall, consumers’ top three concerns about the food they eat were found to be:

1. Healthiness of ingredients (61 percent)

2. Possible use of chemical ingredients that are detrimental to my health (49 percent)

3. Safety of the ingredients (49 percent)

“Today, consumers have more access to food information than ever before,” observed Pat Conroy, Deloitte LLP’s vice chairman 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.”

Responding to a key issue now being debated, nearly eight of 10 Americans surveyed (79 percent) believe that meat from cloned animals should be labeled as such in food stores. And, half of consumers surveyed (50 percent) say meat from cloned animals should not be sold in the United States.