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Consumer Reaction to FOP Labeling

Presented By

Dennis Milne, MSDirector, Business Relations

Nutrition and Obesity Strategies Department

Dennis.Milne@heart.org

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• Consumer Research Summary• Behaviors• Reliance on FOP Symbols

• Maintaining Consumer Relevancy with Heart-Check• Position on New FOP Labeling Direction

Shoppers are creatures of habit. When considering new items, price and nutrition play

key roles

Usually Buy Same Items Every Time

10%

Buy Mostly Same, Some

New74%

Enjoy Buying

Many New Items16%

Typical Purchases Why Buy New Items

Base: Total (n=414)Q6 When thinking about a typical trip to buy groceries, which statement best describes what you typically purchase?Q7 When you are selecting new items, which factors, if any, influence trying something new?

74

61

57

Better Price

Better Nutrition

Has Appealing NewFlavor or Type

percent

Grocery Purchasing: Role of New Products

#1#2 - Internet #3 – Health Professionals

#4- Grocery Stores #5- Friends & Family

Food Packages/Labels

Q.21 How often do you use each of the sources below for information on nutrition/health?

Consumers’ Response on Most Used Sources for Information.

% Use Always/Sometimes

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Specific Items on Nutrition Facts Label

#1#2

#4

#3

Base: Total (n = 1003)Base: Always/Sometimes/Rarely Use Nutritional Facts Panel (n = 990)Q.5: How often do you use the following information on food packaging and nutritional labels?

Consumers are looking for the basics on the Nutrition Facts Panel

Fat and Calories, followed by Serving Size

% Always

55

52

48

47

47

43

36

36

35

Total Fat

Calorie Content

Serving Size

Saturated Fat

Trans Fat

Sugars

Fiber

Salt/Sodium

Cholesterol

American Heart Association/Confidential

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Proactive Struggling Dieters Overweight/Low Effort

Lucky

29% 15% 33% 23%

Very ConcernedAbout Nutrition

Less ConcernedAbout Nutrition% of Consumers

Consumer Segmentation Model

There are four attitudinal consumer segments that are “somewhat” to “very concerned” with nutrition

41

44

43

41

36

49

60

52

45

37

Total

Proactive

Struggling Dieters

Overweight/Low Effort

Lucky

Look for Most Purchased Past 90 Days

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Q.11: Which symbol do you look for the most when shopping for food? Q.12: In the last 90 days, have you purchased a food product with any of the following symbols/logos?

Proactives and Struggling Dieters are most likely to have purchased products with the AHA Food Certification mark

Segment Use of AHA Symbol When Shopping

% Consumers

83

61

38

28 27

15

5

63

8 7 73 3

10

AHA Komen Pepsico WholeGrains

Keystone Best life None ofthese

Aided Awareness Trust Most

41

5 7 9

3 3

33

49

28

20 21

9 8

35

AHA Komen Pepsico WholeGrains

Keystone Best life None ofthese

Look for Most Purchased Past 90 days

Food Certification Consumer Brand Strength*

Compared to other leading nutrition and non-nutrition on-packaged icons, heart-check leads with strongest aided brand awareness, trust and purchase intent/follow-through.

73

59

58

38

26

7

6

12

American Heart Association

American Diabetes Association

FDA or USDA

An Independent Panel of Scientists, Nutritionists

A Consumer Advocate Organization

The Product Manufacturer

A Group of Food Industry Representatives

Not sure

Consumers see the AHA as the most trusted authority for nutrition messages and for deciding if a food product may display a health symbol/logo.

% Trust To Decide

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In-store Purchase Impact AnalysisObjective•To isolate the impact of the heart-check mark on purchases of certified products

among targeted consumer segments.

Methodology• Promoted Products: heart-check mark certified• Test Period

Pre Period: 4 weeksPromotion Period: 4 weeksPromotion Elements:

- heart-check mark on packaging- heart-check mark on point-of-purchase shelf tag- heart-check mark nutrition messages at checkout

• Geography: SuperValu & Pathmark stores (matched panel in 63 test & 63 control)• Metric Measure: Dollar sales of heart-check mark products• Shoppers in study: 340,000

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In-store Study ResultsIn-store Study Results1. The in-store shelf tag promotion achieved its primary objective by

increasing sales of certified products among targeted consumer segments.

1. Sales lift by shopper segment ranged from 1.5% to 6.7%, test vs. control

2. The campaign was most impactful among Struggling Dieters which is positive given that this group had a low focus on heart health.

2. At a total store level, combined sales for all certified items were up 5%, test vs. control.

3. Although most shoppers are not specifically looking for the mark when they enter the store, in a follow-up survey 75% said they are pleased to see if while shopping and that the mark does influence their purchase decision.

1. The in-store shelf tag promotion achieved its primary objective by increasing sales of certified products among targeted consumer segments.

1. Sales lift by shopper segment ranged from 1.5% to 6.7%, test vs. control

2. The campaign was most impactful among Struggling Dieters which is positive given that this group had a low focus on heart health.

2. At a total store level, combined sales for all certified items were up 5%, test vs. control.

3. Although most shoppers are not specifically looking for the mark when they enter the store, in a follow-up survey 75% said they are pleased to see if while shopping and that the mark does influence their purchase decision.

Nutrition Education: In-store Health & Wellness Events Turn key for grocery

retailers looking for value added programs for their shoppers

Develop nutrition themed events leveraging existing in-store vehicles Kiosks Display of sample

size product Recipes/Coupons Shelf edge integrated

signage End-cap displays Circulars Mobile marketing

using QR codes Collaboration with CPG,

Associations and Commissions

American Heart Association ObjectiveMaintaining Relevancy: Enhancing the Heart-Check

Food Certification Program to support achievement of AHA’s 2020 health promotion

goal.

•Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations: A Scientific Statement of the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee

•Defining and Setting National Goals for Cardiovascular Health Promotion and Disease Reduction: The American Heart Association’s Strategic Impact Goal Through 2020 and Beyond

•Dietary Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health: A Science Statement from the American Heart Association

Scientific Statements guiding the process

Guiding Principles

Nutrition Guidelines

Currently certify under five (5) regulatory CHD health claims:1.Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Trans Fat, and Reduce Risk of Heart Disease (Docket #2006Q-0458)2.Dietary Saturated Fat and Cholesterol, and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease (21 CFR 101.75)3.Whole grain Foods with Moderate Fat Content (Docket #03Q-0547)4.Nuts & Heart Disease (Docket #02P-0505)5.Omega-3 Fatty Acids & Coronary Heart Disease (Docket #2003Q-0401)

For Program Nutrition Criteria:

Go To www.heartcheckmark.org

Guiding Principles

Nutrition Guidelines AlignmentEffective September 2011•Total fat increased while keeping saturated fat, Trans fat and cholesterol the same, thereby allowing products higher in mono and polyunsaturated fats (“better fats”)•Certification of nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts and some pine nuts•Certification of fish > 500 mg EPA + DHA per 85 grams

Effective January 2014•Revised Sodium Criteria•Total Sugar/Calorie Screening Guidelines to limit added sugars and implementation of a dietary fiber requirement to improve the quality of certified grain-based products

Heart-Check Evolution to New Design

2010

1995

2005

2011

• Simplified language and streamlined graphic standards options.• Vertical alignment and containment border strengthens visibility on package.• Design the strongest favorite in consumer focus groups and quantitative surveys.• Design favored by companies selected from current program participants.• Single design versus three variations.• Design shown to FDA and USDA prior to rollout.• Rolled out September 2011

• Companies may use immediately• Current package inventories using old logos must convert by January 15, 2014

1. Food modeling was conducted by Dr. Victor Fulgoni of Nutrition Impact.

2. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data were used to evaluate the relationship of consuming foods that meet American Heart Association Heart-Check Program criteria to Diet Quality [as measured by the Healthy Eating Index.]

3. Relationships of percentage of calories from AHA-certifiable foods in specific nutrient/food group intakes and physiological parameters including body weight, BMI, lipids, and blood pressure were examined.

Results: The data demonstrate that a greater consumption (as percentage of

total calories) of foods that meet AHA Heart-Check Program criteria is associated with better diet quality and lower cardiovascular disease risk.

Do FOP Systems Have A Positive Impact on Public Health?

Position on the New FOP Labeling Direction

The American Heart Association supports the establishment of a standardized, comprehensive front-of-package food labeling program and icon system with unified criteria based upon the best available science and consumer research, featuring consumer education as the ultimate goal.

Until there is a unified system in the marketplace, AHA believes there is a unique role for the Heart-Check Program and will continue to strive to maintain the long-standing awareness, trust and credibility that the heart-check mark has developed over time with consumers.

Thank You

For More Information on the American Heart Association’s Food Certification and New Meal

Certification Programs Go To:

www.heartcheckmark.org