In this post we will determine the rationale as to why the majority of consumers fail to utilize the nutrition label or use it less often when implementing purchasing decisions. Whereas the nutrition label is important in informing about the nutritional content of a food package, a significant number of consumers do not read the label or use it irregularly to make informed decisions about their purchases. There are various reasons that prompt the lack of reading of the label including;
A lack of understanding -Most consumers do not fully understand the label and this deters them from using it. The inability to interpret the nutritional information displayed prevents such consumers from using it.
Other preferences-Other factors such as taste, price, expiry date, brand name etc may hold more priority than the nutrition label for some customers ; hence, this may limit label usage. For example, if you prefer the taste of a food item to another, you will unlikely bother to read the label as you have already decided on a particular item you prefer.
Font size and or technical language-Due to the small font and technical language applied, a number of consumers may be deterred from using the nutrition label. For some, it could be strenuous to read through the information thus they avoid using the label.
Lack of time –In some cases, consumers are in a rush to pick a food item and therefore unable to dedicate any time to read the label. Moreover, there is high likelihood that customers prioritize foods they are familiar with thus rarely utilize the label.
Lack of interest-A lack of interest to read the label is yet another impeding factor on label usage. Some consumers actually may not feel the need to dedicate any time or effort to using the label simply because they are not interested.
There are multiple reasons that impede label usage including peer pressure, but the mentioned are among the common reasons. It is important, however, that you read the label even if just the basics to make informed choices on your food selections.