IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i6p3510-d772319.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

“It’s All Just Marketing”, a Qualitative Analysis of Consumer Perceptions and Understandings of Nutrition Content and Health Claims in New Zealand

Author

Listed:
  • Lucy Stuthridge

    (Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand)

  • Donnell Alexander

    (New Zealand Food Safety, Ministry for Primary Industries, Wellington 6140, New Zealand)

  • Maria Stubbe

    (Department of General Practice, University of Otago, Wellington 6242, New Zealand)

  • Paul Eme

    (New Zealand Food Safety, Ministry for Primary Industries, Wellington 6140, New Zealand)

  • Claire Smith

    (Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand)

Abstract

Nutrition content and health claims are widely used globally on both food labels and in food advertising. This study explored how New Zealand consumers understand, perceive, and use nutrition content and health claims on food labels. A qualitative approach was used with semi-structured in-depth online interviews and in-person focus groups including 49 participants, aged ≥25 years responsible for household food shopping. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis using inductive coding, with development of five themes—(1) aware of claims but did not use, (2) mistrust and scepticism, (3) confusion and misinterpretation, (4) using claims to guide food choice, and (5) not all claims are equal. For theme 1, price and habit were found to be the most influential in driving food choice. Underlying theme 2 was the perception by most of nutrition and health claims as marketing. Scepticism was exacerbated when nutrient claims were displayed on inherently unhealthy products. However participants with specific dietary requirements did find claims helpful. Restricting nutrient claims to foods meeting a healthy nutrient profile aligned to the existing Health Star Rating system, education about regulation and supporting claims with more contextual information may increase trust, the perceived value of claims and therefore their utility.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucy Stuthridge & Donnell Alexander & Maria Stubbe & Paul Eme & Claire Smith, 2022. "“It’s All Just Marketing”, a Qualitative Analysis of Consumer Perceptions and Understandings of Nutrition Content and Health Claims in New Zealand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-22, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3510-:d:772319
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3510/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3510/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. de Boer, Alie & Bast, Aalt, 2015. "International legislation on nutrition and health claims," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 61-70.
    2. Jessica Fanzo & Claire Davis, 2021. "Transformations Across Diets and Food Systems," Palgrave Studies in Agricultural Economics and Food Policy, in: Global Food Systems, Diets, and Nutrition, chapter 0, pages 71-84, Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Aschemann, J. & Hamm, Ulrich, 2008. "Determinants of Choice Regarding Food with Nutrition and Health Claims," 2008 International Congress, August 26-29, 2008, Ghent, Belgium 44012, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Jessica Fanzo & Claire Davis, 2021. "Global Food Systems, Diets, and Nutrition," Palgrave Studies in Agricultural Economics and Food Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-3-030-72763-5, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hammad Badar & Azhar Abbas & Khalid Mushtaq & Thomas Dogot & Philippe Lebailly & Yenny Katherine Parra-Acosta & Hossein Azadi & David López-Carr, 2023. "Unravelling Consumer Preferences and Segments: Implications for Pakistan’s Mandarin Industry Development through Market Relocation," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Vasilii Erokhin & Li Diao & Tianming Gao & Jean-Vasile Andrei & Anna Ivolga & Yuhang Zong, 2021. "The Supply of Calories, Proteins, and Fats in Low-Income Countries: A Four-Decade Retrospective Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-30, July.
    3. Kee, Jennifer Y. & Segovia, Michelle S. & Palma, Marco A., 2023. "Slim or Plus-Size Burrito? A natural experiment of consumers’ restaurant choice," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    4. Prabhu Pingali & Mathew Abraham, 2022. "Food systems transformation in Asia – A brief economic history," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(6), pages 895-910, November.
    5. Pamela Lattanzi, 2015. "Botanicals and the Regulatory Framework on Food Supplements in the European Union: a Tricky Relationship," AGRICOLTURA ISTITUZIONI MERCATI, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(2-3), pages 111-131.
    6. Davina Mann & Janelle Kwon & Shaan Naughton & Sinead Boylan & Jasmine Chan & Karen Charlton & Jane Dancey & Carolyn Dent & Amanda Grech & Victoria Hobbs & Sophie Lamond & Sandra Murray & Melissa Yong , 2021. "Development of the University Food Environment Assessment (Uni-Food) Tool and Process to Benchmark the Healthiness, Equity, and Environmental Sustainability of University Food Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-17, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3510-:d:772319. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.