Abstract
Research has long shown that the practice of reviewing nutritional labels before consuming or buying a food product is associated with healthy eating habits including lower fat intake. However, consumers have different motivations for their food selection including nutrition, price, accessibility, and taste. Our study examines the understanding and behavior along with the use of nutrition label among consumers in supermarkets. Data for this study were collected using different data collection methods which is observational and cross-sectional of a convenience sample of adults aged 16 and older (n=7546). Participants were observed and surveyed at different supermarkets in all thirteen main regions of Saudi Arabia. Observational method was specifically designed to see whether the consumers interact with the products they aimed to buy or not. On the other side, questionnaires used to assess the frequency of nutrition label use and to investigate the specific nutrient information consumers commonly check, plus level of nutrition knowledge. The study found that about 65% of consumer check the food product before purchasing it. Over half of those who checked the product indicated that they reviewed expiry date while only 19.2% reviewed nutrition facts. Moreover, the three most important factors that influence consumers buying decisions are price, brand name, and taste. Furthermore, there was a moderate level of dietary knowledge among consumers and those who checked nutrient facts were more likely to have higher knowledge than those who did not check the product at all.
Presenters
Lulu AlmutairiReseacher, Research and Studes Department, Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Ar Riya?, Saudi Arabia Nora Althumiri
Researcher, SFDA Amani Alqahtani
Senior Researcher, SFDA Nasser Bin Dhim
Executive Director of Research Department, SFDA
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Health Promotion and Education
KEYWORDS
Behavior, Consumer, Food label, Supermarkets, Nutrition
