Acceptance of vitamin D-fortified products in Germany – A representative consumer survey

TY - JOUR

T1 - Acceptance of vitamin D-fortified products in Germany – A representative consumer survey

AU - Sandmann, Arne

AU - Brown, Jonathan

AU - Mau, Gunnar

AU - Saur, Mirjam

AU - Amling, Michael

AU - Barvencik, Florian

PY - 2015/7

Y1 - 2015/7

N2 - Abstract Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in many countries, including Germany. Some countries have introduced vitamin D food fortification to address the problem, but such fortification is generally prohibited in Germany. While recent changes in legislation have opened the window to a population-wide introduction of vitamin D food fortification, before it can be implemented in Germany, the strategy must be adapted to the German scenario. This requires gathering detailed insights about German consumers’ perceptions of vitamin D-fortified food and the impact of vitamin D knowledge and health awareness on consumers’ acceptance. We gather information on these issues and identify consumers’ preferred sources of nutritional information. The study shows a high level of acceptance of vitamin D-fortified food among the German population, which indicates good prospects for successful implementation of a vitamin D food fortification program in Germany. Moreover, the study shows that consumers’ health awareness is an essential determinant of their acceptance of vitamin D-fortified food, so informing consumers about the health effects associated with vitamin D could be a viable way to raise their awareness and ensure their acceptance of vitamin D-fortified products. The study also shows that physicians, health insurance companies, and the internet/television are consumers’ preferred sources of nutritional information and should be the central communication channels for an information campaign. These insights will be valuable in developing and implementing an effective vitamin D food fortification program that is suitable for the German scenario.

AB - Abstract Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in many countries, including Germany. Some countries have introduced vitamin D food fortification to address the problem, but such fortification is generally prohibited in Germany. While recent changes in legislation have opened the window to a population-wide introduction of vitamin D food fortification, before it can be implemented in Germany, the strategy must be adapted to the German scenario. This requires gathering detailed insights about German consumers’ perceptions of vitamin D-fortified food and the impact of vitamin D knowledge and health awareness on consumers’ acceptance. We gather information on these issues and identify consumers’ preferred sources of nutritional information. The study shows a high level of acceptance of vitamin D-fortified food among the German population, which indicates good prospects for successful implementation of a vitamin D food fortification program in Germany. Moreover, the study shows that consumers’ health awareness is an essential determinant of their acceptance of vitamin D-fortified food, so informing consumers about the health effects associated with vitamin D could be a viable way to raise their awareness and ensure their acceptance of vitamin D-fortified products. The study also shows that physicians, health insurance companies, and the internet/television are consumers’ preferred sources of nutritional information and should be the central communication channels for an information campaign. These insights will be valuable in developing and implementing an effective vitamin D food fortification program that is suitable for the German scenario.

KW - Vitamin D

KW - Deficiency

KW - Fortification

KW - Consumer acceptance

KW - Functional food

KW - Nutritional knowledge

U2 - 10.1016/j.foodqual.2015.02.011

DO - 10.1016/j.foodqual.2015.02.011

M3 - SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz

VL - 43

SP - 53

EP - 62

JO - FOOD QUAL PREFER

JF - FOOD QUAL PREFER

SN - 0950-3293

ER -