Effectiveness of sustainability labels in guiding food choices: Analysis of visibility and understanding among young adults

The increasing demand for sustainable food products has driven manufacturers to adopt many sustainability claims, certifications, messages and other information tools to differentiate their goods. The results of an online survey, conducted in southern Italy on a sample of 305 individuals aged between 18 and 26 years, reveal that the level of visibility of sustainability labels is low. In particular, Rainforest Alliance certification and Libera Terra have never been noted by large shares of respondents (respectively 75% and 68%). Moreover, the degree of understanding of these labels is generally low, except for the organic one. The correct definition is stated only by 15% of interviewees for Fair Trade; 25% for Libera Terra and 16% for Rainforest Alliance. Furthermore, there is a significant relationship (χ<0.05) between visibility and understanding for all the labels; suggesting that label visibility strongly impacts the probability of having a higher understanding. Findings suggest that food firms should be cautious investing in sustainability labels unless they are combined with effective information policies to increase familiarity among specific market segments.