The findings have important implications for labelling regulations and packaging designs, the authors said.

The research, carried out by experts at three universities in Uruguay, involved labels designed around three variables – cartoon characters, nutrition claims and the traffic-light system – for two products, a sponge cake and a yoghurt. The nutrient claim considered in the yogurt labels was ‘Calcium + Vitamin D’, whereas the claim ‘’Enriched with Iron and Folic Acid’ was used for the sponge cake labels.

The researchers divided 238 children into two groups. In one group, they were asked to rate eight different labels on a hedonic scale. In the other, they had to choose the label they liked most in each of eight pairs.

In the group that chose their favourite label in each of eight pairs, the authors discovered that the inclusion of cartoon characters and nutrient claims “significantly influenced children’s preferences for yogurt and sponge cake labels”.

 

You can read the full article HERE

Food Labelling Services comments:

The Food INfromation Regulations for Consumers 2011 states that Food labelling information must always be open, honest and fair, and must not mislead the consumer as to the nature, substance or quality of the food. It is therefore important that the overall presentation of the product is not misleading, including marketing messages, design, colour schemes, packaging shape, etc. Any nutrition and lealth claims have to be on the approved register, and must fulfil the criteria for that claim. For further advice on images, product names or nutrition and health claims, please do not hesitate to contact us a Food labelling Services HERE