Survey: 81% of shoppers say transparency is important

Especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a large majority of U.S. shoppers are hungry for product transparency from their brands and retailers, according to a study from Label Insight and FMI — The Food Industry Association.

The “Transparency Trends” report surveyed more than 1,000 omnichannel U.S. grocery shoppers and demonstrated that eight in 10 shoppers say “product transparency is important to them.” 

The report also said there’s a growing distrust from consumers in brands and manufacturers — this could open a door for retailer own brands to leverage their shopper trust and be more transparent in packaging. For example, the study found that 93% of brick and mortar shoppers and 93% of online shoppers said they “completely or somewhat” trust the information provided by a retailer.

Among the demographics, 85% of Millennials and 84% of Gen X shoppers placed a greater importance on transparency, as did shoppers who spend at least $125 a week on groceries, those who shop online every two weeks, those with children in the house, and those in high-income homes.

Other leading findings from the report include: 

• 62% of online shoppers consider a brand or manufacturer to be transparent if they provide a complete list of ingredients, while 48% of shoppers look for a USDA organic certification as a means of being transparent.
• 47% of shoppers determine transparency based on a brand or manufacturer providing in-depth nutritional information followed by allergen information (35%) and product claims (29%).

For a complete look at the report, it is available for download at FMI.