Japanese Food Label Survey: Over 60% of Consumers Know Expiration Dates, Only 20% Know How to Look up Factories, New Food Label Revolution Urgently Needed!

On August 13, 2024, the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan released the 2023 Consumer Survey on Food Labeling. Based on the results of a survey of 10,000 consumers, the report aims to assess the level of consumer understanding of the food labeling system, the implementation of the Food Labeling Law and related regulations and guidelines, and the specific needs of consumers for food labels, thereby providing reference for the evaluation of the food labeling system. The main contents of the survey include:

(1) Consumer understanding and application of the food labeling system, recognition and understanding of the new origin labeling system for raw materials, balance between font size and information content, and display methods;

(2) 66.1% of respondents said they knew how to check the shelf life of food from food labels; 30.2% of respondents knew that the shelf life on processed food labels could be specified to the year and month; 62.7% of respondents said they would refer to the "ingredient" label when purchasing food; 52.4% of respondents said they would check the "additive" label when purchasing food; 20.2% of respondents knew that they could check information such as factory location and manufacturer name on the Consumer Affairs Agency website.

A consumer survey on food labels refers to collecting feedback information on consumers' understanding, usage habits, information needs, and evaluation of food label content through questionnaires, interviews, observation, etc. to understand their level of attention, satisfaction, and understanding of food safety and nutrition information, thereby providing reference for the improvement and perfection of food labels. It includes whether consumers understand the information on food labels, and the degree of understanding of different information items. Whether consumers will check food labels when purchasing food, and what content they will check. What information consumers hope to see on food labels, and their suggestions on existing label information. Whether consumers are satisfied with the information on food labels, and their suggestions on label content. The degree of understanding of food safety and nutrition information by consumers: Whether consumers understand food safety and nutrition information, and their level of cognition of related information.

By understanding consumers' needs and feedback, food labels can be improved and designed to better meet their needs, and improve the effectiveness and readability of the information. Through the survey, consumers' understanding of food safety and nutrition information can be understood, and label design can guide consumers to pay attention to food safety and nutritional health. A consumer survey on food labels can provide reference information for the food industry, helping enterprises better understand consumer needs and produce food that better meets consumer needs, promoting the healthy development of the food industry. By designing questionnaires and collecting feedback from consumers on food labels.

Consumer opinions and suggestions on food labels can be collected through face-to-face or telephone interviews. The actual behavior of consumers in using food labels when purchasing food can be understood by observing their behavior. A consumer survey on food labels can use the survey results to formulate relevant policies and regulations on food labels. The survey results can be used to improve the design and content of food labels, enhance the competitiveness of products. The survey results can also be used to help consumers better understand food labels and safeguard their rights.