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Consumers surveyed on terms like “100% plant-based”, “meatless” and “vegan”

Two new reports published today by global food awareness organisation, ProVeg International, provide insights into the most effective ways to label plant-based products.

The two reports are called “Plant-based labelling: How common labelling language impacts consumer perception of plant-based products” and “‘Plant-based’ vs ‘vegan’: understanding consumer perceptions of food-labelling terms.” 

Based on consumer surveys, the reports give valuable insights into how the food industry can label their products to ensure clarity about ingredients, draw in target consumers and present their products in the most appealing fashion.

“With the plant-based food industry experiencing massive growth, there are now many products on the shelves to meet consumer demands. But this means targeting consumers with the right labelling is  becoming more important than ever,” Stephanie Jaczniakowska-McGirr, Director of Corporate Engagement at ProVeg, pointed at.

“These reports provide companies with insights which will help them more precisely hone in on their customer base with the right words for the right products,” she said.

In the first report on the impact of common labelling language, 1,000 consumers in the UK were asked in July 2022 to describe and rate their views on the terms ‘animal-free’, ‘meatless’, ‘meat-free’, ‘100% plant-based’, ‘plant-based’, ‘veggie’, ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian’. 

The survey came up with the following key findings:

Consumers were most likely to choose a plant-based product with the label ‘100% plant-based’, ‘plant-based’ or ‘veggie’, whereas ‘meatless’ and ‘vegan’ were the least preferred labels. 

Labels most likely to be perceived as being good for the animals and eco-friendly were ‘animal-free’, ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian.’ 

‘Animal-free’ and ‘veggie’ sounded like the most enjoyable and tasty options, according to the survey respondents, while ‘100% plant-based’, ‘vegetarian’ and ‘vegan’ were seen as healthy, safe, and nutritious. Consumers rated the labels  ‘veggie’ and ‘vegetarian’ as the most affordable and easy to access. 

Consumers told ProVeg they weren't confused by plant-based food products labelled as ‘nuggets’. Only 3.6% of respondents said they'd previously chosen a plant-based product referring to ‘nuggets’ by accident, while 96.4% agreed that they'd chosen the product consciously. 

 Over 80% of consumers said it's obvious products labelled as ‘vegan’, ‘vegetarian’ and ‘plant-based’ don't contain meat and 76% stated the labels helped them understand and identify the nature of the product. 

"It's great to see consumers are in fact not confused by 'meaty terms' like 'nugget'. Our hope is these results will contribute towards creating a favourable regulatory and labelling landscape for plant-based products, particularly at a time when we're seeing uncertainty around such topics in Europe,” Jaczniakowska-McGirr said. 

"It's really interesting to see consumers prefer 'plant-based' labels to 'meat-free' or 'vegan' terminology. These results echo many brands current labelling strategies, with the use of 'plant-based' labels becoming very common, particularly in the UK, where this survey was conducted." 

The second report, on understanding consumer perception, draws on the results of an online survey conducted in October 2021 to establish the level of consumers’ understanding of the terms used to describe food products in the UK, plus the US. 

The key findings from that survey are as follows:

The majority of respondents had an excellent understanding of the term ‘vegan’, with 69.4% of UK consumers and 61.3% of US consumers choosing the correct definition, saying they thought these food products don't contain any meat, dairy or eggs. Even so, more clarification and education is needed around the term. ProVeg strongly recommends highlighting the exclusion of dairy/eggs from these products. 

About half of consumers surveyed (50.3% in the UK and 49.2% in the US) understood the term ‘plant-based’ correctly. Some consumers (17% in the UK and 26.1% in the US) were confused about whether ‘plant-based’ food products contain dairy/eggs. The same went for the term ‘vegetarian.’

Whilst 72.6% of consumers in the UK  and 75.4% of consumers in the US understood a ‘dairy-free’ food product doesn't contain any dairy, the term still left consumers unclear about the product’s meat content. 

In the same way, whilst 74.9% of UK consumers and 76.8% of US consumers understood a ‘meat-free’/‘meatless’ food product doesn't contain any meat, the dairy/egg content of the product remains unclear.

"This report offers insights into consumer knowledge around plant-based terminology in the UK and the US, with a deep dive into the way different dietary groups understand key terms,” Jaczniakowska-McGirr said.

“Such research is critical to help brands effectively target the growing number of flexitarian consumers and understand the best terminology to use on their products to ensure consumers know exactly what they are purchasing." 

To learn more about Pro Veg visit https://proveg.com.

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A spokesperson said: "We’re excited to announce the launch of our On The Breadline cost of living Christmas appeal with The Independent and Evening Standard newspapers.

"Millions of people across the UK are facing difficult decisions and struggles this winter as skyrocketing bills and soaring food prices push families into crisis. With 1 in 3 children in the UK living in poverty and many families having to go without basic necessities, they're living in fear of what this Christmas could hold."

They went on to say: As the grip of the cost of living crisis tightens, families feel trapped and have  nowhere to turn. Wherever you live in the UK, people local to you aren't just avoiding using the cooker, they’re removing lightbulbs and turning off the fridge. They’re going to bed early to jeep warm and reduce bills. Parents are struggling with the stress of holding everything together and missing meals to protect their kids from how tough things are. 

But together we can change this,  we can make a difference and help ease the pressure felt by so many. Today we are pledging £1million to launch the appeal and help get support to those who need it.

Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief, said: “This winter is going to be frighteningly tough for people all over the country as the cost of living crisis pushes millions to breaking point. They face going hungry and are  without basic necessities, pressure is mounting from all angles. 

"As this national emergency intensifies, people need our help now. We are hugely grateful for this opportunity with the Evening Standard and Independent newspapers to launch a cost of living appeal and raise urgent funds this winter. From supporting foodbanks to providing warm clothing and energy top up cards, this campaign will deliver a lifeline and ease the pressure for people facing the toughest times of their lives.”

The money raised will support organisations working hard to get help to people who need it most. From warm clothes, electric blankets and water bottles to energy top cards, food vouchers and supporting food banks, along with help, advice and mental health support, your donations will make a huge difference.  

Rachel Thomas, Community Development Delivery Officer at Manchester's The Bread and Butter Thing, said: “The brutal reality is it’s going to be a hard winter. We're going to do what we can with the funds and the people and food we have, to try and ease the burden as much as we can for as many people as possible.

“It’s improving people’s wellbeing. It’s not just physical wellbeing in terms of fruit and veg or the nutrition we provide, it's also about people's mental wellbeing. There is an incredible stress taken off shoulders when you know you can afford to feed your family.”

Shireen, mother of two, shopper and volunteer at a food hub run by The Bread and Butter Thing, said: “This has been a lifeline for us for the last couple of months. If I didn’t have The Bread and Butter Thing, I would have to either skip meals or be down to tins of soup or something along those lines, just to make sure the kids were fed.”

“It’s horrible. It’s awful. I can’t describe it. I do worry - I never used to worry about money. Ever. I never had a lot. But I never used to worry. And now I do nothing but think about whether I am going to be able to support my kids…”

The spokesperson finished by saying: "Your donation has never been more important. We know times are tough, but if you can give just a little bit, it will go to people in the UK who are really struggling right now to get through this crisis."

https://www.comicrelief.com.

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