Health labelling
Surveys carried out by research scientists at Nofima Mat show that consumers want food to be labelled with words that seem understandable and natural to them. For example, our studies into the labelling of food with health effects show that consumers who receive information about the health effects of a food product actually perceive the product to be less natural - and thereby less healthy - than products that do not carry such health claims. Such products also get a slightly lower score for taste. But every rule has its exceptions - the survey shows that a claim about a known ingredient is preferred to a claim about a product with an unknown ingredient. Omega 3 is a good example of this. It is well known and products containing Omega 3 seem to be perceived as healthy almost regardless of what kind of products they are.
Nofima Mat has extensive competence in research into various factors that are important for food acceptance. Examples include possible effects of health claims and information about the origin of raw materials. We can provide useful input about what the industry must take into account when products are to be marketed, whilst at the same time giving the authorities an understanding of how they must think in order to ensure that consumers comprehend what is stated, so that possible misunderstanding does not lead to an unfortunate situation.
