CONSUMERS KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION OF FOOD LABELS: THE CASE OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

DALRYMPLE JOEL¹, GANPAT WAYNE², GOPALAN KATHIRAVAN³*
¹Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
²Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
³Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
* Corresponding Author : drkathir@tanuvas.ac.in

Received : 18-02-2016     Accepted : 02-03-2016     Published : 07-04-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 11       Pages : 1130 - 1133
Int J Agr Sci 8.11 (2016):1130-1133

Keywords : Consumers knowledge, Food label, Perception, Health
Academic Editor : Dr S. Sureshkumar, Murlidharmeena, Suhel Mehandi, Emre Ilhan, Singh Ajit Kumar
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

A study was taken up to assess the knowledge and perceptions of Trinidad consumers about various components of a typical food label and the socio demographic factors that impact their knowledge level and perception. Apilot tested survey was conducted with 52 closed ended questions that measured consumers’ knowledge of selected components of a typical food label, their perception about the importance of the major components of a typical food label was used to collect the data from 302 consumers over the age of 18 years residing in Trinidad. In each region of Trinidad (South, Central and North), surveys were done at the exit points of two of the physically largest supermarkets. Descriptive and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Regression analyses were used to analyze the collected data. Results revealed the high blood pressure and diet restrictions due to religious concerns as the most important factors affecting knowledge level. The fact that elevated blood pressure levels, as well as the higher fibre intake also positively impacted perceptions, is a good sign for the population; however, males in the population need special attention as they did not fully perceive food labels as important sources of information with respect to their health.