Multiple food labels confuse consumers

AOP, Gluten Free, Label Rouge, and other food labels appear on packaging, sometimes up to six at once, creating confusion between official quality signs and marketing claims. More than a hundred labels, logos, and medals exist, including AB, Viandes de France, Origine France Garantie, AOP, Label Rouge, Élu produit de l’année, Bleu-Blanc-Cœur, Gluten Free, Fairtrade/Max Havelaar, and Concours Général Agricole.

Legal ambiguity around labels

Cendrine Auguères, a marketing teacher-researcher at the Purpan engineering school in Toulouse, explains that up to six 'signals' can be compiled on the front of packaging. However, the confusion between official quality signs and marketing claims complicates consumer trust. Rafia Halawany-Darson, a marketing and consumer behavior professor at VetAgro Sup, notes that the word 'label' is not legally protected, unlike the official quality and origin signs (SIQO), creating ambiguity around the legitimacy of private or self-proclaimed labels and certifications.

Consumers struggle to understand labels

Xavier Terlet, an expert in food innovation at the ProtéinesXTC agency, states that the vast majority of these signs are poorly known by consumers. This affects all labels, even serious ones that are not official, such as Bleu Blanc Cœur, which are victims of this overload. Sustainable labels, such as MSC for fish, are particularly difficult to understand.

Label recognition and consumer behavior

Cendrine Auguères and her team analyzed the impact of label size on 107 products among 420 consumers. The main lesson was that during the first three seconds of viewing, consumers first identify the brand and the product name. Then come the certifications, with the Label Rouge enjoying the highest recognition (95-97%) due to its visibility and placement, generally in the center of the label. However, consumers may not fully understand the labels, such as the Label Rouge, which many think indicates the product's origin, although it does not.

Label legitimacy and consumer trust

Rafia Halawany-Darson's work with 600 people studying the legitimacy of the AOP label for cheeses confirms that notoriety has little impact on the intention to buy. The practical dimension comes first—what the sign could offer—followed by the moral dimension. For those sensitive to health or environmental issues, the AB label is quick to interpret and aligns with certain ethical values, but it can be competed by the "pesticide-free" logo, which may appeal because the product will, a priori, be cheaper than with a Label Rouge or AB.

Nutri-Score stands out among labels

The Nutri-Score is the only label to be instantly integrated, as it very well meets health expectations and achieves the best confidence results, especially among young people. French origin is another anchor point, as locally sourced products are increasingly sought after, though this can confuse consumers when the same product displays the Label Rouge and a local initiative such as "Tradition Bretagne" or "Saveurs de Normandie."

Solutions to label overload

Distinguishing real labels from marketing signs requires providing access to the specifications of an official label. Rafia Halawany-Darson suggests making visible the information on its guarantees, its controls, and better regulating other labels. Xavier Terlet warns against the tendency to want to say everything on a package, suggesting that a QR code could allow for precise data, such as the real meaning of 'outdoor.' A distinctive sign could help distinguish real labels based on specifications and independent controls from purely marketing signs.

Consumer willingness to pay for labels

However, there is a price barrier, as a product displaying an official quality sign can cost up to 30% more than its standard version. Studies show that the willingness to pay for the Label Rouge or organic reaches at best 20% additional cost, mainly among seniors, urban residents, and those with a certain level of education. However, the increase in willingness to pay more decreases with the addition of labels, as too many labels reduce confidence, leading to less willingness to pay for quality.