Food Choices Not Swayed by Specific Ingredients

Consumers don’t always eat the nutritious foods that they say they want.

April 25, 2013

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Citing new research conducted by The NPD Group, QSR Magazine reports that consumer choice of restaurant and menu items is not influenced by a specific food or beverage ingredient. 

Additionally, while consumers are expressing a desire to live a healthier lifestyle, that is having minimal influence on a choice of restaurant or menu item, as a small percentage of those surveyed said they seek nutritional information such as calories (20%), fats (13%) or sweeteners (10%).

“Pick up a menu today at any popular family restaurant and you’ll see nutrition facts to meet the need of rising consumer awareness around healthier eating,” said Aron Levin, associate professor of marketing and director of the Marketing Research Partnership Program at Northern Kentucky University. “However in the moment of truth, consumers really don’t avoid the foods they say they will.”

Consumers did not express concern for a specific type of sweetener, with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) mentioned by less than 1% of respondents, and only 4% saying they specifically visited a restaurant because it had removed HFCS from its menu.

“Restaurant owners should consider these results before investing substantially in revising recipes or revamping menus,” Levin said. “This especially holds true when making considerations at the ingredient level, as specific as the type of sweetener.”

The research was commissioned by the Corn Refiners Association.

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