N09002: Barriers to the development and uptake of reduced fat foods

Study Duration: July 1998 to June 2001

Contractor: University of Ulster at Coleraine

Despite current dietary advice recommending that consumers reduce the proportion of energy derived from fat in the diet, both reduced fat product innovation and consumer uptake of these products has remained low. The main aim of this research was therefore to identify barriers to the development and uptake of reduced fat foods (RFF) from both the industrial and consumer perspective.

The objectives of the project were to:

Objective 1: Identify barriers to R&D of reduced fat products

• Describe product case histories from concept to market:
• Define and compare those factors most closely associated with product success and failure.
• Model the pre-competitive research process with a view of defining 'best practice'.
• Establish an ongoing data update system so that monitoring can continue on a rolling basis.
• Harness and bring into the public domain, useful, high quality information.

Objective 2: Identify barriers to consumer uptake of reduced fat products:

• Determine consumer perceived issues of salience to reduced fat meat and dairy product selection
• Understand the perceived barriers preventing consumer uptake of reduced fat products.
• Determine the nature of consumer wants and needs in regard to reduced fat alternatives.
• Assess consumer dietary habits and purchase behaviour with regard to reduced fat products.
• Identify target areas and groups for intervention.
• Develop further the knowledge base in relation to food choice.

In order to identify industry barriers to R&D of reduced fat products, interviews were held with 47 product developers from 27 food companies throughout Northern Ireland and England. Respondents were required to describe their experiences in the development of reduced fat food products. The information was then used to compile a database of successful and failed products.

The second objective of identifying barriers to consumer uptake of reduced fat products was carried out by interviewing ninety consumers in retail outlets and the information used to develop a survey questionnaire. A survey of 1004 consumers was then carried out by interview in retail outlets throughout Northern Ireland and England.

The industry research showed that perceived obstacles to further production of reduced fat foods (RFF) are concerned with retailer and supplier relationships, lack of ingredients innovation, technological problems, problems in sourcing technical expertise, financial issues, limited time scales, lack of market knowledge and perceived lack of consumer acceptance. Meat product producers experience more difficult obstacles than the dairy industry, since reducing fat caused loss of functionality in pastry for meat pies, flavour loss and decreased profitability through low commercial value of the trimmed fat by-product.

The consumer research found that uptake or rejection of RFF products is influenced by health concerns and ‘goodness of fit' with individual dietary health strategies such as weight reduction, perceived inferior sensory attributes of the products and scepticism towards reduced fat foods and fat claims. RFFs are perceived as bland and having 'something missing' and only become acceptable with constant use. Some RFF products are more acceptable than others. Consumers of RFF products were more likely to be female, older and concerned about their health or their weight.

Consumers rejection of RFF products was predicted by scepticism towards RFF products and fat claims, the perceived inferior taste and greater expense for those on low incomes.

The researchers concluded there is a need for:

• Investment in the identification of novel ways of conveying the fat content of foods in a standardised comprehensive format;
• A standard system of fat claims, taking into account food type and relating claims directly to the original fat content of the product, which would enable more creative innovation of, and further consumer trust in, RFF products and facilitate informed consumer choice;
• Technical innovation into new ways of replacing fat in foods.

Final report is available from the FSA Library and Information centre. To obtain a copy, please contact the Enquiry Desk, Dr. Elsie Widdowson Library and Information Services, Food Standards Agency (020 7276 8181/8182 or at library&info@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk).

Publications

Hamilton J, Knox B, Hill D and Parr H (2000) Reduced fat products: consumer perceptions and preferences. British Food Journal 102 (7), 494-506.

Knox B, Hill D and Hamilton J (2001) Consumers talking about reduced fat foods. Food Industry Journal 4 (1), 12-25.

Parr H, Knox B and Hamilton J (2001) Problems and pitfalls in the reduced fat food product development process. Food Industry Journal 102 (7), 50-60.

Hamilton J, Knox B, Hill D and Parr H (2001) Reduce the fat and reduce the flavour. What do consumers really think? Proceedings of the British Psychological Society 9 (1), 21.

Hill D, Knox B, Hamilton J, Parr H and Stringer M (2001) Consumer Perceptions of Reduced-Fat Foods. International Journal of Consumer Studies (in press).

Hill DS, Knox B, Hamilton J, Parr J & Stringer M. Reduced-Fat Foods: the shoppers viewpoint. Journal of Consumer Research (under consideration).

Hill D, Knox B and Stringer M (2001) Consumer perceptions of fat labelling and claims. European Journal of Marketing (under review).

Barbara Stewart-Knox and Peter Mitchell. What Separates the Winners from the Losers in New Food Product Development? Submitted to Trends in Food Science and Technology in Dec. 2001.

Barbara Stewart-Knox, Heather Parr, Brendan Bunting and Peter Mitchell. A model for reduced fat food product development success. Submitted to Food Quality and Preference in Dec. 2001.

Hill D, Bunting B, Stewart-Knox B, Stringer M. Why consumers purchase reduced-fat foods. Submitted to Appetite in Feb. 2002.