On food packaging and labels, promising consumers that the contents are “high fiber” or “vitamin fortified” might just be a waste of words.
In a new report to be released this week, consulting firm AlixPartners asked more than 600 health-conscious shoppers—the sort of people who spend more than 40 percent of their grocery budget on products associated with health and wellness—to weigh the attributes for which they would willingly pay a premium. Of 19 options in the survey, “locally sourced” food proved the most effective enticement to spend, followed by “certified organic,” “organic,” “preservative free,” and “certified non-GMO.” Certification seems to add value; consumers are willing to pay more for certified organic and food labeled GMO-free than those that lack a seal of approval.
While gluten-free might be a popular food trend, even among those who don’t have Celiac disease, few consumers in the survey said they would be willing to pay more for gluten-free products. Consumer claims such as “best tasting” also failed to prove persuasive, while such scientific claims as “lowers cholesterol” fared somewhat better.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Bloomberg Businessweek