Nutritional Food Label Use: Perception, Drivers, and Purchase Decision of Shoppers in Abeokuta Metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria
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Abstract
The increasing prevalence of diet-related health problems has amplified the importance of nutritional food labeling as a public health and marketing tool. This study examined the perceptions, drivers, and purchase decisions associated with the use of nutritional food labels among shoppers in Abeokuta Metropolis, Nigeria. The target population was 160 shoppers of packaged food products. Analytical techniques, including descriptive statistics, the Perception Index, Tobit regression, and Logit regression, were employed to evaluate the relationships among variables. Results revealed that the typical shopper is a young, educated, married female with moderate income and a small household size, who often shops with family members. The level of awareness indicates that 63.74% of respondents have a moderate level of understanding, 28.13% a low level, and only 8.13% a high level, suggesting that although most consumers are somewhat aware of food labels, more targeted nutrition education is needed to enhance full understanding and utilization. Although most (60%) of shoppers are familiar with food labels and acknowledge their importance, more education is needed to deepen comprehension and promote consistent, informed use. Also, age, education, household size, and health concerns are the primary determinants of food label perception among shoppers. These factors jointly shape consumers’ ability, motivation, and opportunity to engage with nutritional information. The results underscore the need for targeted nutrition education campaigns that focus on improving food label comprehension among younger, less-educated, and smaller household consumers. Consumer purchase decisions in supermarkets are influenced by a complex interaction of economic, psychological, social, and product-related factors.
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