Food Product Ingredient Information and Consumers Believability of Product Health Claims

Consumers’ believability of product health claims on food packs is essential for healthy purchase decision and food choices. This study examined food product ingredient information and consumers believe of product health claims. The specific objectives are; to find out the number of consumers who read the health claims contained in the ingredient information on food packs, to ascertain who among the consumers believe that the health claims on these product packs are true, to determine how many among the consumers buy food products because of the belief that the product ingredient composition makes for good health. This study was designed as a survey. Using an online sample size calculator, a sample of 348 civil servants was drawn from 21 Ministries in Anambra State. The study was anchored on the Health Belief Model (HBM). Findings from the survey indicate that a greater number of Civil Servants in Anambra state read health claims contained in the ingredient information on food packs. It was also discovered that majority of the Civil Servants in Anambra State believed to a large extent that the ingredient information on food packs are true and that this has in the long run influenced their purchase decisions, thereby making them buy products with such health claims. The study concluded that consumers believe health claims on product packs and this influences their purchase decisions. The study recommended that there is need to make product ingredient information on food pack more legible as it is one of the major challenges to reading the product ingredient information. Also, food manufacturers and brand designers should include all products’ health claims for consumers’ readership and digestion.