Consumer attitudes to combined sustainability and nutrition labelling of foods: an exploratory study

To transform our food system to ensure that our diets are simultaneously healthy and sustainable, it is important to ensure that consumer demand and preferences support increased production and availability of sustainable and nutritious foods (the ‘pull’ side of the food system). To facilitate this, consumers need to be provided with information on the nutritional content and environmental impact of foods and meals. The aim of this research was to understand consumer attitudes towards a combined nutrition and sustainability index applied to food labelling and to nutrition and sustainability labelling of foods. Five focus groups were conducted, with 43 consumer participants, which were used to inform the design of interview protocols with 20 consumer participants regarding label design. Participants were selected to represent a mix of gender, age and socio-economic status within UK samples. Thematic analysis of the results suggested that, although participants broadly supported improved nutrition and sustainability of their food choices, nutrition was prioritised over sustainability (potentially reflecting perceptions of personal and immediate impacts on consumer health, and at the same time indirect, systemic and more remote impacts on the environment associated with food choices). Animal welfare was considered a sustainability issue associated with production. For some less affluent consumers, cost represented a more important determinant of food choices. The use of the combined index was appreciated by participants, but additional information about how the nutrition and environmental impact scores contribute to the combined score, and transparency regarding these calculations, would be needed if the label is to be trusted and understood. It was concluded that consumers value the ability to assess nutrition and the environmental impact of foods and meals using the labels provided, if the contributory components of the combined index are made available within the public domain to ensure transparency regarding how these were calculated. The impact of the index on actual food choices (e.g., when combined with policy measures such as taxation and subsidy policy levers) requires further analysis.