Exploring the use and influence of macronutrients and energy information labelling on the intention to purchase packaged food

Abstract

The high prevalence of obesity in South Africa has been linked to unhealthy food consumption. Food labelling plays a significant role in informing and educating consumers about macronutrients in the food they consume. Despite the proven efficacy of food labelling, a dearth of research exists on consumers’ understanding and use of macronutrient and energy information labelling and how this information influences consumers’ intention to purchase packaged food products. A qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was conducted, and purposive, convenience, and snowball sampling was used to select participants who were food label readers. Virtual interviews were held to collect data, and content analysis of the findings suggest that a significant number of participants were aware of macronutrients and energy information labelling. However, their inability to interpret the macronutrients and energy information labelling negatively affected their use of this information, influencing their purchase intention of the food products. Future research can focus on the development of an educational programme to facilitate consumers’ knowledge and understanding of macronutrients and energy information labelling.

Ukudlondlobala kwenani labantu abakhuluphala ngokweqile eNingizimu Afrika kuhlobene nokusetshenziswa kokudla okungenampilo. Ukunamekwa kwemibhalo ekudleni kudlala indima enkulu ekwaziseni nasekufundiseni abathengi mayelana nezakhamzimba ekudleni abakudlayo. Ngaphandle kwemiphumela emihle ekunamekweni kwemibhalo ekudleni, lusasilele ucwaningo lokuqonda nokusebenzisa imibhalo enamekwe ekudleni nokudla izakhamzimba ngokunjalo nokuthi ngakube le mibhalo inamuphi umthelela kubathengi uma bethenga imikhiqizo yokudla. Lapha kusetshenziswe ucwaningo lokuhlola iqophelo, inhloso, ukwaneliseka, kanye nokunxenxa abanye ukuze kutholakale ababambiqhaza abavame ukufunda izinameko ezisekudleni. Imininingwane iqoqwe ngokubanjwa kwezinkulumongxoxo, kanye nokuthi ukucwaningwa kwengqikithi yemiphumela etholakele kuveza ukuthi inani elikhulu lababambiqhaza linolwazi mayelana nezakhamzimba kanye nokunamekwa kwemibhalo ekudleni. Kodwa-ke, ukuhluleka kwabathengi ukuhumusha imininingwane ngezakhamzimba nokunamekwa kwemibhalo ekudleni kwenza ukuthi bangakwazi ukusebenzisa kahle le mininingwane, kuphinde kuphazamise izinhloso zabo ekuthengeni imikhiqizo yokudla. Ucwaningo lwesikhathi esizayo lungagxila ekuqalisweni kohlelo lokufundisa ukuze abathengi babe nolwazi futhi baqondisise kahle ngezakhamzimba kanye nokunamekwa kwemibhalo ekudleni.

Ukuxhaphaka jikelele okuphezulu kokutyeba eMzantsi Afrika kuye kwanxulunyaniswa nokutya okungekho sempilweni. Ukuphawulwa kokutya (food labelling) kudlala indima ebalulekileyo ekwaziseni nasekufundiseni abathengi ngeezondlo ezidingwa ngumzimba ekutyeni abakutyayo. Ngaphandle kokusebenza okuqinisekisiweyo kokuphawulwa kokutya, ukunqongophala kophando kukhona malunga nokuqonda kwabathengi kunye nokusetyenziswa kolwazi olubhaliweyo ngeezondlo ezinkulu namandla kunye nendlela olu lwazi oluchaphazela ngayo iinjongo zabathengi zokuthenga iimveliso zokutya. Kusetyenziswe uphando lophandontyilazwi oluchaza indlela izinto ezingayo ngokwamava abantu, kukwasetyenziswe iindlela zokukhetha idatha ezifana nokukhetha igcuntswana ledatha ngenjongo, ukukhetha igcuntswana ledatha elifumaneka lula, kunye nokukhetha igcuntswana ledatha ngokufumaneka nzima ngokuncedwa leloo gcuntswana ledatha elisele likho ukukhetha abathathinxaxheba abafunda iileyibhile zokutya. Kubanjwe udliwanondlebe olubanjwa ngezobuchwepheshe ukuqokelela idatha, kwaye uhlalutyo lomxholo weziphumo lubonisa ukuba abathathinxaxheba abaninzi bayayazi ngokubhalwa kolwazi lweezondlo ezidingwa ngumzimba namandla. Nangona kunjalo, ukungakwazi kwabo ukutolika ukubhalwa kolwazi lweezondlo ezidingwa ngumzimba namandla kuyichaphazele kakubi indlela abalusebenzisa ngalo olu lwazi, kuchaphazela iinjongo zabo zokuthenga iimveliso zokutya. Uphando lwexesha elizayo lunokugxila ekuphuhliseni inkqubo yemfundo yokuququzelela ulwazi nokuqonda kwabathengi kokubhalwa kolwazi lweezondlo ezidingwa ngumzimba namandla