Consumers’ Knowledge and Use of Nutritional Labelling Information in Lagos, Nigeria

Evaristus Adesina, Boluwatife Ajayi, Emmanuel O. Amoo, Babatunde Adeyeye, Mofoluwake P. Ajayi, Tomike Olawande, Adebanke Olawole-Isaac and Mercy E. Udume
Additional contact information
Evaristus Adesina: Department of Mass Communication, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota 112233, Nigeria
Boluwatife Ajayi: Department of Mass Communication, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota 112233, Nigeria
Emmanuel O. Amoo: Department of Demography and Social Statistics, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota 112233, Nigeria
Babatunde Adeyeye: Department of Mass Communication, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota 112233, Nigeria
Mofoluwake P. Ajayi: Department of Sociology, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota 112233, Nigeria
Tomike Olawande: Department of Sociology, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota 112233, Nigeria
Adebanke Olawole-Isaac: Department of Demography and Social Statistics, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota 112233, Nigeria
Mercy E. Udume: Department of Sociology, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota 112233, Nigeria

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Nutrition labelling is a topical issue, being a vital aid that shapes consumers’ food choices and could be an efficient tool for the prevention of consumer vulnerability to diet-related diseases such as cancer, high blood pressure, hypertension, and obesity. However, data on the public use of nutritional labels as an information source on nutritional properties of foods and health claims, especially as it relates to Nigeria, are not popular in the literature. This study seeks to examine consumers’ use of labelling information: knowledge; attitude, and practice. A cross-sectional study with the aid of a survey elicited information from 374 randomly selected shoppers in five shopping malls in Lagos State. Data were analysed using the T-test method. Findings show that while the majority of the respondents (70.6%) read the nutritional information, only 64.9% understand the information presented on food labels. The study also reveals that the majority of the respondents (57.5%) do not know that information on food labels should be presented in the English language before any other language as recommended by the National Agency Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). While 57.9% of consumers have a positive attitude towards using food labels, 58% of the respondents’ buying decisions are influenced by food labels. The study concludes that consequent upon the importance of nutritional knowledge and wellbeing, consumers of Fast Moving Goods in Nigeria are beginning to consciously pay attention to nutritional labels. The study recommends that producers of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) products in Nigeria should adopt the total disclosure of ingredients and nutritional content of their products. Also, regulatory bodies in charge of pre-packaged food products in Nigeria (NAFDAC) should go the whole way and make nutritional labelling mandatory.

Keywords: nutritional labels; consumer; knowledge; attitude; practice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/1/578/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/1/578/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:1:p:578-:d:718356

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().