A label plays a crucial role as it is the first point of contact with potential customers. It is essential for a label to create a positive and lasting impression. Effective labeling involves careful consideration to convey necessary information while also being visually appealing. Two recent examples highlight the importance of information conveyance and sensory appeal in labeling, including a study from the United States and the efforts made by Just Eat.
In a recent American study published in the journal Appetite, research suggests that labeling menu items as vegetarian or vegan can influence consumer food choices. These findings indicate that labeling can negatively impact how U.S. consumers choose meat-free products. Field studies evaluated the impact of labeling on the likelihood of participants choosing vegan options. The results revealed that labeling decreased the likelihood of participants choosing the vegan option. Clearly, consumers are now driven more by visual cues rather than reading and choosing.
Just Eat, a workplace food delivery branch, has introduced a new carbon labeling trial aimed at assisting business customers and restaurants in making more sustainable choices. This trial involves displaying carbon emissions ratings of main menu dishes on the Just Eat app and website. The carbon labeling system was developed in partnership with Cardin dioxide accounting and labeling specialist My Emissions. The carbon label rating ranges from ‘A’ for dishes with a very low carbon impact to ‘E’ for those with a very high carbon impact. The ratings consider various factors such as emissions from farming, production, transportation, and packaging of food. This initiative aims to increase awareness of the impact of carbon emissions in the food industry and encourages customers to make more environmentally conscious choices.
