Are sales affected by lack of clear information on food labels?

Consumer trust in product labelling will lead to sustained long-term sales.

Are customer needs being reflected and catered for in current label design?

Food labelling is arguably the most important medium through which a supplier can communicate with its customer in-store. As an interface between consumer and manufacturers, labels contain an increasing amount of information - but is this all being understood by the consumer? By law, food manufacturers have to provide basic information on food, allowing consumers to make an informed choice about the product on offer and food safety. However, one difficulty facing the trade is the fact that the same consumers who want to be informed do not always understand the connotations properly. Does labelling therefore need to be reinforced by consumer education on TV or other mediums?

As the amount of packaged food on the supermarket's shelf grows at the expense of primary product, are consumer's desires and requirements being taken seriously? This report analyses consumer and industry concerns over food labelling, rather than examining trends in label design or other aspects of the marketing mix. With the media playing a role in setting the agenda for consumer opinion, those most concerned with labelling are usually those who do the shopping, with men and the very young tending to show less interest. Food Labelling determines the number of consumers who find food labels confusing and clarifies issues of importance such as the significance of use-by and display-until dates.

Other Mintel reports of interest include:

- Food and Drink Packaging, Market Intelligence, June 2000

- The Vegetarian, Market Intelligence, June 2000

- Chilled Ready Meals, Market Intelligence, May 2000

- Functional Foods, Market Intelligence, March 2000

- Food Safety, Special Report, 1999.