CONSUMER AWARENESS AND USE OF NUTRITION LABELS ON PACKAGED FRESH MEATS: A PILOT STUDY

The Nutritional Labeling and Education Act of 1990 called for the voluntary nutrition labeling of packaged fresh meats in retail stores. The stores had until mid-1994 to meet the Act's provisions. Availability and use of these labels in Louisiana retail stores were examined by a 1997 survey of households. One-half of the responding households perceived that these nutrition labels were in use in stores, and when available, they were used by most respondents. The primary reasons for nonuse include sufficient prior knowledge of nutrient content, insufficient shopping time to check labels, and lack of interest in nutrient content. Family income, household head retired, and interest in preparing healthy meals in the home were statistically significant variables in explaining label readership