Determinants of nutrition label use among Turkish consumers

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the various factors that affect Turkish consumers‟ use of nutrition labels. Data was collected from a total of 500 consumers living in Istanbul through the use of a structured and undisguised questionnaire. Unlike previous research, hypotheses regarding „gender‟, „marital status‟, „preschool child ownership‟, „working status‟, „time pressure‟, „nutrition knowledge‟, „importance given to price‟, and „awareness of diet-disease relation‟ all yielded insignificant results. Again, contrary to most of the earlier studies, the direction of the relationship in case of „age‟ and „income‟ was negative rather than positive. It seems that different aspects of “concern about, interest in, and importance given to health and nutritious eating” are influential in nutrition label use in the Turkish market. Although the findings of the study pertain to the Turkish market, its implications may be applicable in other countries, as well, where nutrition labeling is not mandatory for the time being.