Shoppers don’t understand traffic light labels

Despite their apparent simplicity, traffic light labels are misleading consumers because they don’t realise how the colours are calculated, according to research commissioned by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

When asked what a red traffic light for salt meant on a label, just 8% of 500 adult shoppers polled by researcher Millward Brown last year correctly answered “the product is high in salt per 100g”. More than two thirds (69%) incorrectly answered: “the product is high in salt per serving”.By this logic, said the FDF, when shoppers saw an amber light on a ready meal, most would therefore assume that it contained moderate levels of salt. In fact, the amber light only showed that the salt level per 100g was moderate. If they ate the entire meal (eg. 220g-400g), they could in fact be consuming several grams of salt and a large percentage of their guideline daily amount in one sitting.

By the same logic, if consumers saw a red light on a savoury spread, they might assume it was very salty despite the fact that per serving it contained tiny quantities of salt.

In other words, claimed Millward Brown, while shoppers found traffic lights quick and easy to interpret, “the information that they actually take from them is largely incorrect”

Meanwhile, hybrid schemes that attempted to bridge the gap between Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) and traffic lights (now used by Marks & Spencer and Asda) were not necessarily the answer, said FDF director general Melanie Leech.

“GDA labelling is based on per portion information while traffic light labelling is applied per 100g. Combining the two approaches across all categories provides some confusing results. For example, a 10g portion of spread containing 0.2g of salt would have a red label for salt, whereas a ready meal containing 2.2g of salt would have an amber label.”

She added, “Products that are typically consumed in portions larger than 100g may get inferred traffic light endorsement when, in reality, their consumption levels merit careful consideration.”

A Food Standards Agency spokesperson commented: “This research [from Millward Brown] is one of the many pieces of evidence that the Project Management Panel have considered as part of their independent evaluation on the effectiveness of the three main front-of-pack labelling schemes. Their report, due in early spring, will be the most comprehensive research to date on which scheme(s), or elements of the scheme(s), best enable consumers to make informed choices about the foods they buy.”

Find out more about the front-of-pack labelling debate at Food Labelling in the Dock​ the new conference from Food Manufacture​ on February 12 at Ardencote Manor Hotel and Country Club, Warwick.

With speakers from Tesco, the FSA, the FDF, The Carbon Trust and Which, this is a must-attend event for all manufacturers and retailers of food and drink, regulatory affairs managers, marketers, food technologists and new product development specialists.

For more details contact Helen.law@william-reed.co.uk​, call 01293 846 587 or click here​