Consumers and nutrition labelling 151 Agreement with statements about information given on food labels Agree Neither Disagree (Base1454) I believe all of the health messages and claims that appear on products nowadays 33% 17% I never believe the nutrition claims on food packaging and always check the label for more information 47% I find it difficult to work out from the nutrition information panel on food products what is good for me and what 49% Nutrition information panels should be laid out in the same way for all food products 90%0 Claims are a quick and easy way of seeing how healthy a food product is 54% % Health messages and nutrition claims should all be regulated 10% It is important that nutrition information is shown on all food products 88% 8% 3% 6.4 The use of nutrition panels e majority of UK food manufacturers and retailers provide nutrition informa- tion on most of their products, at least the 'Big 4, and in many cases theBig 4 plus Little 4(see'format under Section 6. 2. 1 above). However, for as long as a voluntary regime continues, the decision as to whether or not to provide nutri tion information is largely a commercial one. The arguments for change will be discussed in detail later in this chapter, but taking points 3, 6 and 8 from the Con sumers' Association's research into the factors which are important to consumers when shopping for food as relevant to nutrition, diet and health, 23% of respond ents consider this the most important aspect when shopping for foods, and a much higher number of some importance, even though nutrition and health ranked third after price/value for money and quality. Of those asked, 86%o recognised a nutri- tion information panel, although of these only 42%o took notice of it, with 33%0 stating that it was what they took most notice of Clearly, nutrition panels are very familiar and the circumstances in which nutri tion information panels are used are of note: 36% when buying food not bought very often or never bought before; 34%o when comparing two different makes or types of the same product; 26% when checking the nutrition claims made on the front of the pack; 15% never use this information; 15% every time food is bought that has this information on it: 14 have never seen this informationAgreement with statements about information given on food labels: Agree Neither Disagree (Base 1454) I believe all of the health messages and claims that appear on products nowadays 33% 17% 48% I never believe the nutrition claims on food packaging and always check the label for more information 47% 24% 27% I find it difficult to work out from the nutrition information panel on food products what is good for me and what is not 49% 18% 32% Nutrition information panels should be laid out in the same way for all food products 90% 7% 3% Claims are a quick and easy way of seeing how healthy a food product is 54% 17% 25% Health messages and nutrition claims should all be regulated 84% 10% 3% It is important that nutrition information is shown on all food products 88% 8% 3% 6.4 The use of nutrition panels The majority of UK food manufacturers and retailers provide nutrition informa￾tion on most of their products, at least the ‘Big 4’, and in many cases the ‘Big 4 plus Little 4’ (see ‘format’ under Section 6.2.1 above). However, for as long as a voluntary regime continues, the decision as to whether or not to provide nutri￾tion information is largely a commercial one. The arguments for change will be discussed in detail later in this chapter, but taking points 3, 6 and 8 from the Con￾sumers’ Association’s research into the factors which are important to consumers when shopping for food as relevant to nutrition, diet and health, 23% of respond￾ents consider this the most important aspect when shopping for foods, and a much higher number of some importance, even though nutrition and health ranked third after price/value for money and quality. Of those asked, 86% recognised a nutri￾tion information panel, although of these only 42% took notice of it, with 33% stating that it was what they took most notice of. Clearly, nutrition panels are very familiar and the circumstances in which nutri￾tion information panels are used are of note: 36% when buying food not bought very often or never bought before; 34% when comparing two different makes or types of the same product; 26% when checking the nutrition claims made on the front of the pack; 15% never use this information; 15% every time food is bought that has this information on it; 14% have never seen this information. Consumers and nutrition labelling 151