Many food products do not offer the clear labelling of ingredients that consumers want, according to new research.

In a survey of 1,000 adults in the UK and USA, commissioned by Ingredient Communications and conducted by SurveyGoo, 50% of people said they are more likely to buy a product if they can recognise all of the ingredients listed on the label.

Only 19% of respondents said they always recognise every ingredient on the pack.

More than one-third of respondents (36%) admitted they are less likely to buy a product made with an ingredient they do not recognise, whereas 44% said they are happy to pay a higher price for a product when they recognise all of the ingredients it contains.

“Manufacturers of finished products should consider formulating – or reformulating – their products to include these ingredients, or they risk being left behind.”

Richard Clarke, managing director of Ingredient Communications, said: “Ingredients companies have taken big steps forward to optimise their portfolios to include clean label ingredients that can be declared on-pack in clear language that most consumers will recognise. Manufacturers of finished products should consider formulating – or reformulating – their products to include these ingredients, or they risk being left behind.”

Most respondents to the survey, which was conducted in September 2020, also expressed a preference for natural ingredients and an aversion to artificial additives. As many as 81% of consumers said they consider the label claim ‘made with natural ingredients’ to be very appealing or quite appealing. A similar number (78%) said they consider the label claim ‘free from artificial ingredients’ to be very appealing or quite appealing.