Consumers’ food label reading behaviour

The paper presents the results of a non-probabilistic research based on questionnaire targeted to students from Cluj-Napoca (Romania). The objective was to analyze (student) consumer behaviour related to food label information reading. The label items tested are: (a) Es (food additives); (b) expiration date; (c) energy value (number of calories); (d) all ingredients; (e) only the main ingredients; (f) type of processing (boiled, fried, raw, etc.); (g) country of origin (production); (h) manufacturer's name; (i) importer’s name; (j) brand; (k) quantity (pieces, grams, kg); (l) various logos that give specific information (name them); (m) price; (n) nutrition information: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fibers etc. – quantity; (o) nutrition information: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, fibers etc. – % of the RDA (recommended daily amount); (p) storage conditions; (q) allergens; (r) preparation time (where is the case); (s) other information. The items that are read “Very often/Always” by the highest percentages of the consumers tested are: expiration date (51% of them), brand (41%), quantity (40%), price (48%); at the other end of the scale, the items that are read “Very rarely/Never” by the highest percentages of the consumers tested are: various logos (35%), allergens (42%), other information (85%).