Swedish consumers' cognitive approaches to nutrition claims and health claims

Introduction and Aim: Studies show frequent use of nutrition claims and health claims in consumers’ choice offood products. The aim of the present study was to investigate how consumers’ thoughts about these claimsand food products are affected by various types of food-related experiences.Material and Methods: The data collection comprised 30 individual interviews among Swedish consumersaged 25 to 64 years.Results: The results indicated that participants who expressed special concern for their own and their families’health were eager to find out the meaning of concepts and statements made. A lack of understanding and lackof credibility of concepts and expressions often caused suspicion of the product. However, in some cases thiswas counterbalanced by confidence in manufacturers, retailers, and/or the Swedish food legislation.Discussion and Conclusion: To achieve effective written communication of food products’ health-conduciveproperties on food labels, there is a need to consider the importance many consumers attach to understandingthe meaning of concepts and expressions used and the importance of credibility in certain expressions.Consumers’ varying cognitive approaches are suggested as a basis for pre-tests of nutrition claims and healthclaims.