Kochi : A study conducted within the Kochi corporation limits found that ‘health benefit’ was the most important factor influencing packaged food purchase among consumers. This was followed by convenience in purchasing and preparation.
The study was conducted with 680 participants, by Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in USA and published in International Journal of Food Science. This is due to social conditioning,” she said, adding that these findings are generalisable to urban areas like Kochi.
Sensory appeal and weight loss factors were more appealing than health benefits among the younger generation,” said Dr E Rajashree Bhagyanath, co-author of the study. Dr Aswathy S, who was also part of the study, said people who were better at understanding food labels and utilising nutrition panels were more likely to make health-conscious food choices, including those related to weight control, natural ingredients and convenience. The study ‘Urban Consumer Behaviors in Kochi, India: Food Choice Motivations, Food Label Literacy, and Nutrition Panel Use’ found that sensory appeal, including taste, smell, texture and appearance, was also an important consideration for consumers. Price, sensory appeal, weight control, natural content, convenience, and health were the six food choice factors posed to the participants. “Out of the six factors, health benefits scored maximum. The study also found that women were more likely to use nutrition panels when choosing food. “This suggests that women in India often play a key role in meal planning and managing family health, making them more likely to check the nutritional value of food, though they are not part of procurement.