Front-of-Package Labelling and Consumer Behaviour in Food Retail NUTR4026

Is front of package labelling the best way to influence food purchasing behaviour within the food retail environment?

Front-of-packaging labelling or FOP labelling is today one of the most widely used techniques to positively change peoples buying behaviour in food products with the view of enhancing the well-being of the population (Muller & Ruffieux, 2020). This essay argues that FOP labelling is indeed an effective method for influencing consumer behaviour, based on three key arguments: concerning the ease of understanding and applying nutritional information, the efficiency of colour-coded systems, and all the positive implications regarding peoples health (Penzavecchia et al., 2022).

1. Clarity and Accessibility of Nutritional Information

One significant benefit that is derived from the use of FOP labelling is that it can easily convey information on nutrient content to consumers. Different research studies show that clear and visible nutrition labelling enables consumers to make the right food choices (Muller & Ruffieux, 2020). Referring to Watson et al. (2014), FOP labels provide an easy-to-understand way of conveying information included in the nutrition facts panel in that it enables consumers to easily pick out fundamental nutritional values of foods that are complicated to understand. This is essential, given that the times are tight and the target consumers cannot find time to decode the various nutrients (Muller & Ruffieux, 2020).

For instance, Campos et al. (2011) revealed that when the nutrition facts are put on the leading panel, the consumers are better positioned to see and act on this information. According to the study, FOP labels create less cognitive burden to the consumer and transform critical nutrients into a clear and concise format, hence helping the consumer make better decisions on what to consume. This clarity assists in eliminating the divergence between consumers desire to purchase healthy products and their action of finally doing so. Likewise, Ma and Li (2022) noted that FOP labels directly improve consumers knowledge of their food options. They have also pointed out that if nutritional information is made visible, it enhances the consumers nutritional literacy knowledge and, consequently, their eating practices (Ma & Li, 2022). Additionally, color coding of labels enables the customers to compare nutritional information.

2. Effectiveness of Color-Coded Labeling Systems

Specifically, cross-tabulation labelling schemes, including the traffic light system, have been found to play a useful role in changing consumers behavior. These systems rely on high, medium, and low coloured lights to depict the amount of such crucial compounds as saturated fats and sugars, sodium green being low, yellow medium and red as high (Arrazat et al., 2023). This factor of the simplicity of this simple picture makes it easy for the consumer to make healthy decisions at the point of sale (Arrazat et al., 2023).

According to Grunert et al. (2012) study the authors realized that color-coded labels provide more information compared to the summary-type labels. The insight that was gained from the study showed that many customers had a great tendency to color-coded systems, which are easier to understand concerning the health values of the product. This preference has been echoed by Oswald et al. (2022) to the effect that colour codes facilitate the distinction of healthier products and improve the consumers attention to nutritional information. The above control tools, such as the traffic light system, have been useful in enhancing the recognition of better foods and meant that unhealthy items were less likely to be bought (Campos et al., 2011). In addition, Gibson and Callan (2021) conducted an RCT to determine the consequences of the colour-coded FOP labels. These findings provide evidence that coloured labels improve consumers ability to make decisions with regard to the relevant nutrients because such labels make the information provided easier to use (Gibson & Callan, 2021).

Thus, it is possible to suggest that colour-coded labelling is efficient due to its capability to minimize nutritional information and the complexity of food consumption. As the color-coded labels allow the customer to compare the nutritional value of the product at a glance, they prevent the consumption of foods that contain a high level of undesirable nutrients (Arrazat et al., 2023). Therefore, color-coding of labels and public health are inter-related.

3. Public health:

The impact of FOP labelling affects not only interpersonal consumption decisions but also health on a macro level. Therefore, by directing consumers to make healthier choices in their diets through FOP labels, the incidence of diet-induced illnesses, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, is mitigated (Penzavecchia et al., 2022).

As Hawley et al. (2012) noted, consumption of FOP labels helps in shaping peoples dietary habits, which are healthy for the public. The labels are thus in the interest of helping the consumer filter easy through products they consider healthy in relation to the nutritional goals set for the prevention of chronic diseases. For instance, the World Heart Federations policy brief on FOP labelling states that hundreds of FOP labels can boost standards of nutrition in the global community as well as create a healthier consumption environment (Penzavecchia et al., 2022). The congruency of the goals with those of public health is thus not simply about the impact from consumers perspectives but rather about the actual value of FOP labeling as a whole. From the recent interventions noted by OHara and Thow (2023) regarding FOP labelling, they discovered the fact that FOP labels play a role in putting consumers in an advantageous position when it comes to choosing better and healthier diets, thus seeking a way to reduce the incidences of diet-related diseases. Thus, enhancing the understanding of FOP labels can assist in mitigating producers obligations by making nutritional information more easily understandable and accessible, as well as reducing obesity rates and related health complications, thus promoting public health matters (Penzavecchia et al., 2022).

Conclusion

FOP labeling is informative and impacts consumer habits appropriately, making it a successful approach in promoting peoples wellbeing. FOP labels assist in the easy identification of information in relation to nutritional value adding to the ease of making a choice on what to eat. Systems like the traffic light system of colors that are used in labeling helps one to understand the healthiness of foods easily. Thus, FOP labeling proves to be the remarkable tool that can affect consumer behavior and help to achieve the goals of public health initiatives in the framework of food labeling.

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