Does mandatory labeling increase the use of nutritional information?
Of the 38 countries surveyed, 6 have some form of mandatory nutritional labeling (Canada, United States, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia). The global average for “understanding” labels was 43% of respondents. The scores for understanding in these 6 countries were higher than the average, except for Malaysia: Canada, 61%; United States, 65%; Brazil, 49%; Australia, 55%; New Zealand, 61%; Malaysia, 22%. The mandatory presence of nutritional labeling does not seem to lead to a greater frequency of use; respondents in the 6 countries were not significantly more likely to “always” check a label (except for Brazil at 52% of respondents, all other countries were <29% of respondents, and the global average was 21% of all respondents). This suggests that the more consumers are exposed to nutritional labeling, the more educated they become. What information are consumers seeking? A global average indicates that fat, calories, and sugar are the items checked most often. GI is checked
