Key takeaways:
- Label-reading and sugar awareness are driving food choices: Three-quarters of Americans now read nutrition labels, with sugar and calorie content being the top factors influencing purchase decisions, especially among higher-income, educated, and health-conscious consumers.
- Emerging ingredient concerns show future market shifts: Consumer scrutiny of additives, dyes, GMOs, and seed oils could grow into mainstream priorities, similar to past gluten-free and organic trends.
- Trust and transparency outweigh government assurances: Confidence in food safety oversight has declined, creating opportunities for brands to stand out through third-party certifications, clear labeling, and transparent communication about sourcing and safety.
Consumers today aren’t just buying food — they’re scrutinizing it. With most shoppers checking food labels and sugar topping the list of concerns, Americans are making purchase decisions armed with more nutritional awareness. The latest Gallup Consumption Habits poll explores what consumers are looking for on the label and who they trust to ensure the safety of their food.
Consumers are reading labels more than ever
Three-quarters of American adults actively examine nutritional information on food packaging, with one-third paying “a great deal” of attention to these details — a substantial and engaged consumer base that food manufacturers cannot afford to ignore.
Sugar content tops the list of consumer concerns, with nearly half (47%) of label-readers specifically seeking information about sugar and added sugars, followed closely by calorie content (37%). These two metrics have emerged as the primary drivers of purchase decisions for health-conscious consumers, while secondary considerations include sodium or salt (18%), carbohydrates (17%), protein content (15%), and fat levels (14%).
Higher-income households earning $100,000 or more show 80% label-reading rates, while college-educated consumers demonstrate 84% engagement with nutritional information. Women significantly outpace men in label attention (81% vs. 70%), and consumers who self-report “very healthy” diets show 88% label engagement. These high-engagement segments represent premium market opportunities for brands willing to invest in transparent, high-quality formulations.
On the other hand, lower-income households earning less than $50,000 show only 65% label engagement, and demographics with high school education or less show 67% attention to nutrition labels. Rather than representing disinterested consumers, these segments may indicate opportunities for value-oriented healthy options that could capture underserved markets while maintaining nutritional transparency and education.
Emerging ingredient concerns signal future trends
Growing consumer attention to specific additives points to emerging market opportunities worth monitoring. Currently, 5% of consumers check for added dyes, 3% each look for chemical content and artificial ingredients, and 2% each monitor seed oil content and GMO/bioengineered ingredients.
Although these are modest percentages, they may be early-stage consumer concerns that expand significantly in coming years, similar to how gluten-free and organic movements evolved from niche interests to mainstream market forces.
Certifications, transparency will stand out amid declining confidence in food safety
While 73% of consumers maintain confidence in grocery store food safety, government oversight confidence has plummeted to just 53%, a significant decline from the 68% confidence level recorded in 2019.
Such a trust deficit creates substantial competitive advantage opportunities for brands with strong safety and transparency credentials. Third-party certifications and testing may carry increased value with consumers, and direct communication about sourcing and safety protocols becomes more valuable than relying on government regulatory assurance.
What these trends mean for F&B manufacturers
Current consumer behavior patterns and market dynamics — heightened label scrutiny, demographic-based preferences, and declining government trust — may require strategic responses across multiple business functions:
Product development
With sugar and calorie intake top-of-mind, the priority for food and beverage manufacturers is sugar reduction and clear sugar labeling across product lines, as well as developing calorie-conscious formulations that don’t compromise on taste. The data suggests significant opportunities for protein enhancement, particularly targeting higher-income segments that show the highest engagement with nutritional information. Companies may also consider developing products that address emerging concerns about additives and processing, even if current consumer demand appears limited.
Labeling and communication
Sugar and calorie information should be prominently displayed and easy to locate, developing clear consumer-friendly ingredient lists. In addition, transparent communication and third-party verification are more valuable than ever, given the current regulatory environment.
Marketing strategies
Market positioning strategies should simultaneously target health-conscious, higher-income demographics with premium transparent products while developing value-oriented healthy options for underserved segments. Companies should leverage third-party safety certifications more prominently in marketing efforts.
With today’s consumer more engaged with the health and safety of their food than ever before, it’s become essential to invest in technology that enables transparency, certifications and third-party verification, and smart formulations that build brand loyalty.
Learn more about current consumer food perceptions and behaviors in Gallup’s Consumer Habits report.
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