10 October 2007, 15:02 PM
  • At the IGD convention in London, Joanne Denney-Finch said that the food industry needs to be more transparent, giving customers clear, simple messages.

This latest advice follows research that shoppers are overwhelmed with the amount of information they’re receiving. Ms Denney-Finch said, “As we keep extending choice and providing even more information, shoppers say they fear that shopping trips could become a nightmare.”

The research carried out by IGD for the convention shows that 43% of people agree the information they get helps them to make better choices. But nine percent feel it also makes choosing products more complicated. Furthermore, only 21% are confident they understand all the information they receive about food, while 19% don’t mind, because they ignore it anyway.

Shoppers also want information about health and nutrition, including special dietary requirements, as well as ethical issues. These include provenance, relevant religious information or organic or fair-trade status. She continued, “There is an opportunity to put shoppers in the driving seat by allowing them to choose how much information they want.

“Consumers judge us in more ways than ever. They want the industry to make it simple for them. Some are even stretching the boundaries of trust and are already delegating responsibility to the industry. They are looking for leadership and this is a great opportunity to provide it.”