Nutrition labeling of meat and poultry products : consumers' opinions : final report

160 Pages·1992·7.3 MB·English

by  Anderson, Donald W

Historic, Archive Document
Do assume
not content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

United States
Department of
Agriculture
National Agricultural Library
Contract Number RTI Project Number
53-3A94-8-08 233U-4205-4 FR
Nutrition Labeling of Meat and Poultry
Products: Consumers' Opinions
Final Report
May 1992
Prepared for
Loren Lange
Deputy Director
Policy, Evaluation, and Planning Staff
Food Safety and Inspection Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington, DC 20250
Prepared by
Donald W. Anderson
Brian Calingaert
Center for Economics Research
Research Triangle Institute
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
.0'
11
CONTENTS
Section Page
Executive Summary vii
1 Introduction 1-1
2 Metiiodology: Focus Groups 2-1
2.1 Focus Group Logistics 2-
2.2 Focus Group Moderation 2-4
2.2.1 Introduction 2-4
—
2.2.2 Discussion Current Use ofNutrition Labels 2-5
2.2.3 Discuss Label Content 2-5
2.2.4 Wrap-Up 2-6
3 Findings 3-1
3.1 The Relative Importance ofNutrition Content and
Information 3-1
3.1.1 Results ofFocus Groups with General Consumers 3-1
3.1.2 Results ofTelephone Focus Group with Experts 3-5
3.1.3 Results ofFocus Group with Low-Literacy
Consumers 3-6
3.2 Frequency ofNutrition Label Use 3-6
3.2.1 Results ofFocus Groups with General Consumers 3-6
3.2.2 Results ofTelephone Focus Group with Experts 3-8
3.2.3 Results ofFocus Group with Low-Literacy
Consumers 3-9
3.3 Reasons for Nutrition Label Use 3-9
3.3.1 Results of Focus Groups with General Consumers 3-9
3.3.2 Results ofTelephone Focus Group with Experts 3-
1
iii
18631
CONTENTS
Section Page
3.3.3 Results ofFocus Group with Low-Literacy
Consumers 3-13
3.4 Inferences Drawn from Presence or Absence ofLabels 3-1
3.4.1 Results ofFocus Groups with General Consumers 3-13
3.4.2 Results ofTelephone Focus Group with Experts 3-1
3.4.3 Results ofFocus Group with Low-Literacy
Consumers 3-17
3.5 Nutrition Information at Different Stages ofPreparation 3-17
3.5.1 Results ofFocus Groups with General Consumers 3-17
3.5.2 Results ofTelephone Focus Group with Experts 3-1
3.5.3 Results ofFocus Group with Low-Literacy
Consumers 3-18
3.6 Uniform Descriptors 3-19
3.6.1 Results ofFocus Groups with General Consumers 3-19
3.6.2 Results ofTelephone Focus Group with Experts 3-2
3.6.3 Low-Literacy Consumers 3-22
4 Conclusion 4-1
References R-
Appendix A: Participant Screening Document
Appendix B: Resumes ofExpert Panel Participants
Appendix C: Moderator's Guide
Appendix D: Pre-Session Questionnaire
Appendix E: Visual Aids
Appendix F: Pre-Session Data Base
iv
52
FIGURES
Number Page
2-1 Gender Breakdown ofAtlanta and St. Louis Focus Groups (n = 59) 2-2
3-1 Ranked Factors ofGrocery Items (l=highest, 8=lowest) 3-3
3-2 Ranked Statistics ofGrocery Items 3-4
3-3 Number ofTimes Viewed Nutrition Label in Last 30 Days 3-7
3-4 Last Time Viewed Nutrition Label on Meat/Poultry Product 3-8
3-5 Frequency ofNutrition Labels Read 3-8
3-6 Reason for Last Look at Meat/Poultry Nutrition Label 3-11
3-7 Reasons for Using Meat/Poultry Nutrition Labels in Last 30 Days 3-1
3-8 Meat/Poultry Labelling Awareness 3-14
3-9 Perceptions ofProducts Without Nutrition Labels 3-
1
3-10 Fat Content Rankings ofUniform Descriptions 3-20
V