The research, commissioned to an Irish marketing consultancy, analyses the actual fruit content of a variety of FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) food products that use an image/picture or a word/reference to fruit on the outer packaging. The research was of general outreach and did not target a particular food category or brand.
According to Raquel Izquierdo de Santiago, Freshfel’s Food Policy Advisor, “the use of attractive images on the packaging is a common tool employed to
sell food products. This unmistakably leads consumers to believe that these products actually contain a substantial amount of the product alluded to by images or statements on the packaging. In the new wave of health-conscious consumers, it has become more and more common to have references to fruit or see images of fresh fruit and vegetables depicted on all types of products.”
However, with the arrival of new provisions to be applied in regard to the use of claims (EU Regulation 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods), the use of “pictorial, graphic or symbolic representations in any form, which states, suggests or implies that a food has particular characteristics”, is now indisputably included in the definition of what constitutes a “claim”, and has therefore to abide by the rules set in the Regulation.
The research was undertaken in nine European countries*, representing over 75% of the whole EU-27 population. The largest food supermarket by volume, in each of the countries, was then selected for the shopping trips. Products representative of a wide range of food categories offered to consumers were purchased following a set of parameters extensively explained in the report.
The 23 product groups gave a total of 207 products that were then divided and catalogued into a number of fruit categories based on the type of fruit ingredient/s they contained. All ingredient information, nutritional information and type of fruit included in each product, as indicated in its package, was then verified by an independent clinical Nutritionist & Dietitian.
From the products analysed in the research, 18% – almost 1 in 5 products – contained no fruit at all, while the remaining 82% had fruit in one form or more. 50% of all products contained no (18%) or minimal fruit (32% had less than 10% fruit content) despite the display of images or reference to fruit in their package. Only 17% of products had more than 50% fruit content.
Additionally, from all the products, 29% contained more than 15g per 100g or ml of sugar. Of those products containing at least 50% of fruit, 20% were also above this limit. Given the new EU Regulation on nutrition and health claims and the discussions as they stand so far on what qualifies as a “fruit and vegetable product”, and the requisites thereof to make claims on them, Freshfel’s research shows that from all the products included in the study (207 products), only 13,5% (28 products) would actually be “allowed” to carry images of fresh fruit on their packages without
being in breach of the EU requirements and misleading consumers.
Luc Clerx, Chairman of Freshfel’s Promotion, Image & Communication Committee, stated: “This study demonstrates that consumers across Europe might for a great number of their food purchases be misguided into buying products which do not have the characteristics depicted on their packaging. The packaging of certain products simply reminds consumers of the nutritional value of fresh produce,
without delivering the benefits.”
Consumers need truthful and trustful information when they make purchasing decisions and should not be misled. There is currently a lot of discussion on how the increased awareness of consumers on the benefits of consuming fruit and vegetables is however not translating into a behavioural change. Perhaps a relatively large part of consumers believe that their food choices are in line with increasing fresh produce consumption without this being the case.
Raquel Izquierdo concluded: “In light of these results, either misleading images and statements from packaging, such as allusions to fruit and vegetables in products that contain little or no fruit or vegetables, should be removed, or existing food and beverages should be reformulated to significantly increase their fruit and vegetable content.”
