Food labelling issues:
A qualitative consumer study related to food labelling of infant foods
9 . Age warning statement
OBJECTIVE 6: Primary caregivers’ awareness of, and the impact of statements such as ‘not recommended for infants under the age of 4 months’ .
In the context of the new ‘first food’ age label stating ‘around 6 months’ (using the product mock-ups), participants’ attention was drawn to the warning statement ‘not recommended for infants under the age of 4 months’. In each group one or two participants had already noticed the warning statement and asked for clarification about whether the statement would remain on ‘around 6 month’ foods.
Before allowing the discussion about the dual-age information to unfold, the Moderator firstly inquired about participant’s awareness of the warning statement, the value that they placed on it, and what they interpreted it to mean.
Very few participants in each group had noticed the warning statement, which is invariably located on the back of the product, prior to the attendance at the group. About a quarter to a third of each group noticed the statement when the mock up products were passed around earlier in the discussion. When asked what, if any, difference there was between the two different pieces of information about age, the statement was consistently interpreted as much stronger advice, or ‘a warning’ from the manufacturer, rather than just a guide. There was a clear understanding amongst the majority of participants that the statement was about safety or health issues.
The warning statement, in conjunction with the ‘around 6 months’ label, was mostly interpreted to be giving an indication that it was ok to use the product from 4 months of age, but that it was not obligatory. However for some participants, there was a great deal of confusion about which age they should rely on, and the presence of the warning statement age caused them to re-think their earlier strong leaning towards a 6 month target for introducing solids.
“I think it’s confusing, I don’t know why it’s saying ‘around 6 months’ and then having a statement that says ‘not under four’, it’s like, make up your mind!’.
“If they feel that babies shouldn’t have solids before 6 months, the fact that they have food that says ‘from 4 months’ makes you think, ‘well that’s fine, that’s what’s accepted, you can give your baby food from 4 months’
Based on the reactions of participants, there is also some risk that the warning statement would be used to rationalise introducing solids closer to 4 or 5 months when a parent felt that the baby’s need for solids (based on the known cues described earlier) was acute. Nonetheless, most participants felt that during product purchase, it was the front of the product and therefore the ‘around 6 months’ label that they would notice first and pay most attention to.