Individual Presentation: Can Food Labels Influence Purchase Decisions for Consumers Who Are Limiting Their UPF Consumption?

Understanding how labeling influences consumer perceptions and decision-making is increasingly critical as regulatory bodies and industry expand the range of mandatory and elective labels on packaged foods. One approach that food manufacturers are using to address consumer concerns about ultra-processed foods is labeling. Such labels include voluntary claims such as “natural,” “organic,” clean labeling (e.g., free from a specific additive), and other emerging elective labels such as the Food Integrity Collective’s “Non-UPF Verified” seal.

We reviewed the recent research on consumer response to the use of voluntary labels and found that such labels may increase purchase intentions, and that some consumers are willing to pay a premium for products with such claims. For example, one recent U.S. study found that consumers were willing to pay $1 more for a clean label 32-oz yogurt, and were willing to a pay a premium to avoid specific ingredients such as corn starch and carrageenan. The literature review findings can help inform the labeling of new and reformulated products in response to consumer concerns about ultra-processed foods.

In addition to synthesizing the existing literature on food labeling effectiveness, we also employed social media listening to generate timely insights on how consumers interpret both established and emerging food labels. By analyzing naturalistic consumer conversations online, we capture early signals of sentiment, trust, confusion, and behavioral intentions that may not yet be reflected in published research. Preliminary findings reveal that consumers are overwhelmed by the increasingly crowded landscape of brand, retailer, and third-party food labels, and often navigate a fragmented information ecosystem with limited knowledge to guide purchase decisions. This gap underscores a critical opportunity for industry and certification groups to deliver clearer, more actionable labeling information that supports informed choices.