Consumers more concerned with fat, calorie intake than sugar or HFCS content when it comes to product ingredient labels, Mintel finds; only 3% of label readers look specifically for HFCS

Graziela Medina Shepnick

CHICAGO , August 1, 2011 (press release) – Mintel Research Consultancy, a service that supports more than 500 of the world's largest companies with syndicated research and custom research projects, recently conducted a survey to reveal how primary household shoppers feel about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in relation to other sugars and sweeteners. Mintel Research Consultancy found that when it comes to product ingredient labels, consumers are more concerned with fat and calorie intake than sugar or HFCS content.

"When reading ingredient labels, shoppers are more focused on fat content and calories than the amount or type of added sugar," says Erin Murray, senior analyst, Mintel Research Consultancy. "We found that nearly four in ten label readers seek information on fat or calories, compared to just 3% who look specifically for HFCS —and 25% who seek information on sugar content."

Mintel Research Consultancy also found that consumers are more likely to be limiting fat and calories than sugar and sweeteners. Thirty-seven percent of consumers say they have been limiting or avoiding calories in the past six months. Meanwhile, 20% have been limiting or avoiding fats and oils and 17% report cutting back on products with sugar or added sugar. In comparison, 4% are actively limiting or avoiding HFCS specifically.

"We sought to find out how cognizant consumers are of HFCS, what they've heard about HFCS and what efforts they're making to reduce or limit their intake of HFCS and other sweeteners," adds Erin Murray. "Sugar and sweeteners in general seem to be a bigger concern than HFCS."

The Mintel Research Consultancy team is available for custom research projects. Please contact info@mintel.com for more information.

About Mintel

Mintel is a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence. For nearly 40 years, Mintel has provided insight into key worldwide trends, offering exclusive data and analysis that directly impacts client success. With offices in Chicago, New York, London, Sydney, Shanghai and Tokyo, Mintel has forged a unique reputation as a world-renowned business brand. For more information on Mintel, please visit www.mintel.com. Follow Mintel on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mintelnews

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