Main Criteria For Choosing Functional Foods Is Taste And Price, Then Health

A focus group study by Irish researchers who interviewed 35 female consumers has found that the taste and price of functional foods still ranks higher in importance than health considerations. Consumers tend to trust nutrition information printed on food packages from big food companies, along with information from family and friends, researchers found. Familiarity with food products gave consumers “a sense of comfort,” a fact that explains why switching brands and products is infrequent. Researchers also found that consumers are increasingly interested in buying functional foods that promise solutions to dietary problems “or go some way towards preventing problems before they arise.” People over 55 years old were found to have a more positive attitude toward food health claims.