Gaps in knowledge are stopping consumers making informed choices when it comes to the food and drink they eat, according to a new report from Purity Soft Drinks, owner of the Juice Burst and Firefly brands.
‘Squeezing the Potential of Fruit Juice’ examines some of the latest Soft Drink and Juice consumption trends and flags up consumer confusion around well-known phrases and legislation impacting everyday life.
Despite the Scottish Government’s plans to curb HFSS promotions hitting the headlines and England having restrictions in place since 2018, the report finds that fewer than one in six consumers have ever heard of ‘HFSS legislation’ and only 4% of adults can correctly identify what ‘HFSS’ means.
Disturbingly, despite standing for ‘High Fat, Salt and Sugar,’ 22% of consumers that claimed to have heard of ‘HFSS’ thought that it stood for ‘Healthy Food, Sizes and Servings’. However, more than half of British adults (53%) reacted positively when finding out what HFSS is and its intention.
There is a similar degree of confusion regarding ‘from concentrate’ when it comes to Juice or Juice Drinks – with only just over half (55%) claiming to know the difference compared to ‘not from concentrate’. Perceptions of ‘from concentrate’ fruit juice is also polarised, with the same number of consumers perceiving it to be both ‘fresh’ as well as being ‘artificial’.
There is also a notable degree of information failure when it comes to some of the descriptors around sugar, with only 32% confident they know the difference between ‘free sugars’ and ‘added sugar’.
Sarah Baldwin, Purity Soft Drinks CEO and Board Member of BSDA, commented: “We know the importance of offering healthy hydration options for the public. After recent world events, health and mindful consumption have never been so important, so it is troubling that there is confusion in relation to certain common phrases. When it comes to legislation, we are constantly part of these evolving conversations, but we can’t expect the public to necessarily always be aware. It’s important to be sharing information like this and ensuring that people can make the best and most informed decisions that are right for them.”
