SELECTED ANTECEDENTS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION CLAIMS FOR FOOD PROCESSORS AND DISTRIBUTORS

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the importance attached to nutrition claims placed on food packaging from the perspective of Polish food processors and distributors. A total of 78 completed questionnaires were obtained with the use of the CAWI methodology. The author used correlations, t-statistics, ANOVAs, and simple and multiple regression analyses. In simple regressions, 6 independent variables turned out to influence the declared importance of nutrition claims in a statistically significant way: 1) perceived credibility of nutrition claims; 2) agreeing that the availability of health-related information is not sufficient for the vast majority of Polish consumers to change their preferences for the choice of foods; 3) strong belief that food products carry too many nutrition claims; 4) self-reported knowledge about the healthiness of one’s diet; 5) respondent age; and 6) seniority of the respondent in the companies surveyed. In a multiple regression model, only variables 1, 2, and 3 remained statistically significant at p < 0.05. An increase in the perceived credibility and stronger agreement with the above statement increase the importance attached to nutrition claims, whereas believing that foods carry an excessive number of nutrition claims reduces it.

Keywords

• nutrition claims
• health-related information
• food processors
• food distributors
• labelling