Food labels come in all shapes and sizes. From sugar content to counting carbohydrates, food labels inform consumers of the nutritional information of a product. Food labels are supposed to be an accurate insight into nutritional value. These labels are especially important to those who have health concerns or certain conditions that require a special diet. But over time, these labels have been mixed with marketing to blur the lines between accurate nutritional information and marketing of a product.
One of the ways that food labels incorporate marketing into the mix is by using buzzwords. Buzzwords catch the attention of the consumer and attach a thought which then increases the chances of making the sale. A study from CBC Marketplace shows that marketing buzzwords are loaded on food labels in Canada! One of the examples on their top ten countdown was Kellog’s NutriGrain Bars in “Superfruit” flavours. “Superfruit”, “Real Fruit”, and “NutriGrain” are the buzzwords to give customers the impression that the product is a healthy choice. But upon further testing, it was revealed that it is full of refined flours and loaded with sugar! The manufacturer has also sugarcoated the fact that there is little to no actual fruit in the product. Instead, it is loaded with fruit concentrate which is essentially sugar. Surely a peek at the nutrition facts label would reveal the facts, right? It is written on the label that there are thirteen grams of sugar in a NutriGrain bar, why do customers still think it’s healthy? The answer is simple. As mentioned earlier, the buzzwords are used to give off the impression that a product is healthy. With a healthy impression in mind, most customers trust the buzzwords on the label and will purchase the item without double-checking themselves.
Another tactic companies use to gain sales is to create a healthier version of a product and sell it at a higher price. Due to the fact that it is in everyone’s best interest to be healthy, a higher price means a bigger profit. A perfect example of this is Kraft Dinner’s Omega 3 added Mac and Cheese. This is marketed as a healthier alternative to their original Mac and Cheese because of the Omega 3 added. Since it is a healthier alternative, the price is almost doubled! Imagine the increase in profit! The study from CBC Marketplace also revealed that a person must eat over one hundred servings to gain any evident benefits from the plant-based Omega 3 added.
Another popular tactic for companies is to use health fads. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with producing a product that would sell due to a fad. But a line is crossed when a fad is used to “dupe” consumers. Common examples of this include juice and smoothies. Juice and smoothies are known to be healthy. If made correctly and tailored to individual needs, it definitely can be. But the truth is that many store-bought smoothies and juices are not as healthy as they seem. But fads such as the “green smoothie” fad can make it easier for companies to sell a not-so-healthy product.
The misleading label tactics do not end here. Some products are marketed as healthy and convenient while others may “change” a certain ingredient name to make a product seem more healthy. A product that is both healthy and convenient is very alluring to most customers. Many products promote how eating healthy can be made easier with their product. Truth is, many on-the-go items are not as healthy as you think! At its core, this is marketing. Essentially, companies are using convenience to sell you a product! With convenience in mind, let’s refer back to ingredient lists. Due to convenience, most people do not check the full ingredient list before purchasing a product. Those who do check are usually allergic to a certain ingredient or have a certain health condition that restricts their diets. Another reason for checking ingredient lists is to avoid harmful ingredients. An example of this is nitrite. There have been studies that show that the consumption of nitrite should be limited because it may be linked to negative health effects like cancer. Some companies have taken note of these cautious consumers and changed ingredient names to avoid being tagged as “harmful” by consumers. For example, many deli meats include nitrite. According to the CBC Marketplace study, a company did not put nitrite in the ingredient list. Instead, they put an ingredient named cultured celery extract. It turns out that nitrite and cultured celery extract are essentially the same thing! The average consumer may believe that nitrite is not included. Unfortunately, that would be incorrect.
It is important to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet. There are millions of food products fighting for our attention when we enter the grocery store. It is a landmine of buzzwords and health claims since many of the products sold at the grocery store are processed foods. Though there are definitely better choices than processed foods, this does not mean that the labels provided should be loaded with misleading language that would give customers the wrong impression. Nutrition is too important to be misguided on. The lines between accurate nutritional information and marketing should not be blurred.
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