Consumer trust in the Australian food system – The everyday erosive impact of food labelling

Tonkin, Emma; Webb, Trevor; Coveney, John; Meyer, Samantha B.; Wilson, Annabelle

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2016.04.004

Cited by 62 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Strategies and policies that build consumer trust are not readily identifiable. Indeed, in addition to consumers not having complete information, trust is a complex phenomenon that does not depend only on rational judgments about risks, but involves both cognitive and emotional aspects (Tonkin et al, 2016a(Tonkin et al, , 2016b. Thus, literature is increasingly highlighting how improving consumer information and knowledge is not a very effective quick-fix to increase consumer trust (Eden et al, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Returning to the discussion on how to influence trust levels, labelling has been identified by the literature as a way to affect 'consumer perceptions of trustworthiness' and to reinforce trust in the food system, even if interpretation of the labelled information may not necessarily remain strictly within the correct regulatory definition (Tonkin et al, 2016a(Tonkin et al, , 2016b.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Trust may also be considered a social phenomenon (Hobbs and Goddard, 2015;Tonkin et al, 2016b). Indeed, trust levels may be influenced by social interactions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Trust to Go Green: An Exploration of Consumer Intentions for Eco-friendly Convenience Food

Ricci

Banterle

Stranieri

2018

Ecological Economics

168

123

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Interest in food products with eco-friendly characteristics and certifications has grown in recent decades. Consumers are also increasingly demanding ready-to-eat products, especially in urban environs, where modern lifestyles tend to limit their available time. Understanding the proenvironmental behaviour of convenience food consumers is particularly challenging because there is often a contradiction between eco-friendly behavioural intent and time constraints imposed by modern lifestyles in large cities. It is not clear to what extent information labels on such products are trusted by consumers and considered when making food choices. This study aims at contributing to the debate investigating the determinants influencing consumer purchase intention, focusing on minimally processed vegetables labelled with integrated-pest-management standards. More specifically, the analysis investigates the role consumer trust plays in consumer intention to buy such products. The conceptual framework builds on and extends the theory of planned behaviour. The analyses are based on face-to-face interviews in a large European city (Milan, Italy). Data were analysed by means of structural equation modelling. Results confirm the important role of consumer trust, which positively affects attitudes towards the purchase of convenience food with eco-friendly attributes, and negatively affects consumer concerns around agricultural practices in relation to environmental and health impacts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Trust to Go Green: An Exploration of Consumer Intentions for Eco-friendly Convenience Food

Ricci

Banterle

Stranieri

2018

Ecological Economics

168

123

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“…Studies in Europe, the United States, and Australia [4,12,13] have demonstrated that consumers have more confidence in elements of the food label that are regulated [13]. In Australia, the NIP is required on all packaged foods except those in very small packages.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A survey of consumer attitude towards nutrition and health statements on food labels in South Australia

Riley¹,

Bowen²,

Krause³

et al. 2016

FFHD

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Background: For many decades, Australia has required a Nutrient Information Panel to be included on food packaging, usually on the back of products. Recently, two regulated, voluntary systems were introduced for use on food packaging in Australia: the Health Star Rating system and nutrient content and health claims. Nonetheless, the scope and potential for these new initiatives to achieve their purpose is partly depdendant on their perception by consumers. This report describes the results of a population based survey of South Australian adults about how various elements of food labels are used to inform their purchase decisions. Methods:A survey was conducted using a random stratified sampling technique in people aged 15 years and older in the Australian state of South Australia. All surveys were administered faceto-face to 3005 people between September 2015 and December 2015. Data was weighted by the inverse of the individual's probability of selection, as well as the response rate in metropolitan and country regions and then reweighted to benchmarks from the June 2014 Estimated Resident Population calculated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Results:The response rate for the survey was 57.3%. Most respondents to the survey rated their own dietary intake as 'healthy' (61.5%) or 'extremely healthy' (9.1%). Aside from price, country of origin was nominated as the most important information on the food label of a food bought for the first time (by 35.0%), followed by the ingredient list (21.6%) and claims about nutrition (20.9%). The response to this question was markedly different by age group, with almost half (48.3%) of those aged 55 years or over considering that country of origin was the most important information to look for. For the youngest age group (15-34 yrs), 28.4% considered the ingredient list was the most important information, 26.5% considered claims about nutrition to be most important, and 22.2% considered country of origin to be the most important information on the food label. The Nutrition Information Panel was used to guide the purchase decision for a new breakfast cereal by more than half of respondents (50.8%), while a statement on the front of the pack about how the food effects health was used to guide the purchase decision of only 8.9%. While only 22.1% disagreed (16.4% disagreed somewhat, 5.7% disagreed completely) with the statement that 'the Nutrient Information Panel on food packaging is a trustworthy source of information,' almost double the amount of subjects at 44.0% disagreed (36.1% disagreed somewhat, 17.9% disagreed completely) that 'statements about health on food packaging are a trustworthy source of information.' Conclusion: For South Australian adults, statements about health benefits of food on food packaging are viewed with much greater suspicion than the nutrient information panel. Attitudes towards food packaging varied more by age group than by sex of the respondent. For an unfamiliar food, country of origin is considered the most important information ...

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“…Thus with very little relative personal control to manage perceived risks in practical terms (Dixon and Banwell, 2004), trust in the food system is essential. Food labelling is one of the primary methods of contact with the food system for most consumers (FSANZ, 2008) (see figure 1 for relevant definitions), with industry and government primarily seen as 'labellers', or the face of the food system (Tonkin et al, 2016). Thus gaining an understanding of how food labelling influences trust in food system actors is important.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The process of making trust related judgements through interaction with food labelling

et al. 2016

Self Cite

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There is both empirical and theoretical research supporting the idea that consumers' interaction with food labelling impacts on their trust in the food system and its actors. This paper explores the process by which consumers' interpretation of, and interaction with, labelling results in the formation of trust related judgements. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 24 Australian consumers were conducted. Theoretical sampling was used to gather a wide range of consumer perspectives. Real food packages were used as prompts for discussion in interviews, with one interview section requiring participants to examine particular products while thinking aloud. Process and thematic coding were used in transcript analysis. Labelling was seen by participants as a direct and active communication with 'labellers'. The messages communicated by individual label elements were interpreted more broadly than their regulatory definitions and were integrated during the process of making sense of labelling. This enabled participants to form trust related judgements through interaction with labelling. Finally, product and consumer characteristics varied participants' judgements about the same or similar label elements and products. Divergence in consumer and regulatory interpretations of labelling creates a situation where labelling may be both fully compliant with all relevant legislation and regulation, and still be perceived as misleading by consumers. This suggests that the rational frameworks that policy seeks to overlay on consumers when considering food labelling regulation may be hindering consumer belief in the trustworthiness of labellers. Policy must recognise the different, yet equally legitimate, ways of interpreting labelling if it is to foster, and not undermine, consumer trust in the food system generally.

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Consumer trust in the Australian food system – The everyday erosive impact of food labelling

Cited by 62 publications

References 32 publications

Trust to Go Green: An Exploration of Consumer Intentions for Eco-friendly Convenience Food

Trust to Go Green: An Exploration of Consumer Intentions for Eco-friendly Convenience Food

A survey of consumer attitude towards nutrition and health statements on food labels in South Australia

The process of making trust related judgements through interaction with food labelling

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