Nutritional labels ignored by half of shoppers - survey

Almost half of all consumers don’t read nutritional labels on pre-packed food when making purchases, a survey for the Nutrition and Health Foundation (NHF) has revealed.

The main reason cited for not reading packaging is lack of interest, the study found.

The survey of 536 consumers in supermarkets across the country was conducted by the Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute. It found 45 per cent of people never read labels detailing the nutritional content of the food they buy. Only 20 per cent of people said they always read labels, while 33 per cent said they sometimes do.

The survey found consumer understanding of the information on the labels was poor, with only 32 per cent of shoppers aware that salt and sodium are not the same and just 10 per cent understanding the difference between energy and calories.

NHF manager Dr Muireann Cullen said a healthy diet can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes, various types of cancer and obesity. “The importance of knowing what you are eating cannot be stressed highly enough,” said Dr Cullen.

She advised consumers to learn to read nutritional labels rather than simply buying the first product they see.

Nutritional labels on pre-packaged food consist of any information relating to the amount of calories and key nutrients, such as fat, carbohydrates, sugar and vitamins, contained in the food.