Fast food nutritional info slow to register - Australian study
Date: 15 Feb 2012
On 1 February 2011, the New South Wales Government introduced legislation that requires standard food outlets to display nutritional information on menus at point of sale by 1 February 2012.
Market research firm TNS Social Research has just published a new study for the NSW Food Authority & NSW Health in Australia, as part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of this project.
"FAST CHOICES: An evaluation of energy purchased and consumer awareness" measures and assesses two key outcomes for the evaluation; whether consumers have awareness and increased understanding of energy (particularly kJ values displayed in qualifying outlets), and whether consumers purchase fewer kJs from qualifying outlets and/or make different food choices with other meals.
The report concludes that the additional in-store nutritional information is not making a great impact - only 15% of respondents noticed the information, and only 10% read it. Nutritional information on the menu boards was read by even fewer customers, and general understanding of energy levels displayed was poor.
Read the full report here, at NZ's own Food Industry Group (FIG) website:
www.fig.org.nz
