UK consumers are losing faith in the nutritional claims made by food and drink companies.
A report from independent market analyst Datamonitor revealed only 44 per cent of the UK population trusts such information and this unfavourable response is shared internationally.
Some 86 per cent of US and European consumers surveyed said they have become more distrustful of corporations within the past five years.
Datamonitor said the findings reflect “a climate of distrust whereby consumers are showing skepticism of all things commerce.”
The company’s consumer markets analyst, Daniel Bone, said the survey was only a snapshot of the negativity characterising western consumerism and trust-building brand strategies needed to assume greater emphasis.
Bone said: “These findings should be of considerable concern to the industry. Not only does it undermine attempts to develop relationships with consumers, it also hinders the chances of future new product development.”
Datamonitor reports European consumers are paying more attention to the recommendations of friends and family than the industry, especially in the UK, where 72 percent of respondents regarded such advice as “important” or “very important”.
Professional endorsement and a good track record in business ethics also rank as the most important trust building credentials for consumers; more than half (57 per cent) of European and US consumers consider “health advice from doctors” to be ‘very trustworthy’.
Bone encouraged marketers to emphasise the variables which make brands stand out form non-branded products.
“Transparency with regard to claims and the production process will become increasingly important. Brands which consumers associate with authenticity, heritage, honesty and competence are best placed to succeed,” he claimed.
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