Taste still more important than price

My two blogs this week are drawn from research in the US newsletter Beverage Digest …

The first is about consumer priorities and is based on a web survey of 1,057 American adults by the International Food Information Council Foundation.

Despite the current economic pressures, 87% of consumers rate taste as being of great importance when making buying decisions, compared to 73% for price, 61% for healthiness, 53% for convenience and 35% for sustainability.

Taste has consistently come out on top since the survey was first conducted in 2006. Then price was rated by 64% and it peaked at 79% in 2011.

Among other insights, the survey found that expiry dates are the most important feature on the label, followed by nutrition panels.

51% say they try to limit or avoid sugar and 29% try to limit or avoid low calorie sweeteners.