FDA label changes: US consumers are cutting down on sugar

  Consumer behavior is a complex and ever-changing phenomenon. One factor that seems to remain constant, however, is the consumers’ willingness to improve their dietary habits. A survey by Leatherhead Food Research which questioned 1,061 respondents shows nearly half of US consumers consider health and nutrition among their top priorities. More specifically, 48 percent are trying to cut down on sugar.

So long, sugar

Both baby boomers and millennials have their mind set on reducing their sugar intake, with 56 percent of consumers older than 55 and 41 percent of consumers aged between 25 and 34 listing it as their top priority. Other dietary habit changes that score high are cooking more with raw ingredients and eating less meat.

Resisting temptation

Admitting to feeling tempted by the products they are trying to avoid, consumers look to the food and beverage industry to help them achieve their goals. They want to be able to see at a glance if products meet their dietary needs, and 30 percent of consumers even want to know whether ingredients are locally sourced. 27 percent say they pay special attention to the presence of key vitamins and minerals.

Making the most of FDA label changes

Evidently, it is in food manufacturers and packaging designers’ best interest to take note of changing consumer behavior and to address customers’ needs by adapting food labels, making them as comprehensive as possible as well as easy to interpret. That’s why, next to adopting a plugin like Dynamic Content to quickly replace nutrition facts tables with 2018 FDA compliant labels, it is advised to gain a thorough understanding of each product’s target audience and corresponding consumer behavior as well. Learn more about the role of food labels in today’s market and catch up on all the latest FDA food label changes.   Inspired by Packaging Strategies