May 9th, 2022, Tove Keldsen
More than half of Nordic consumers are worried about selected ingredients and additives in their foods.
YouGov has been tracking the attitudes of Nordic consumers to food, climate, and health for 15 years, and we have just published this year’s results. The report shows, among other things, that 3 out of 5 in the Nordic countries are concerned about the content of ingredients in the foods they buy and eat. It is especially Swedes and Finns who are worried (66%). While the share is slightly lower in Norway, 57%, and significantly lower in Denmark, at 49%.
It also varies which ingredients the Nordic consumers are most concerned about.
Palm oil is the primary concern in Sweden, Finland, and Norway and is also in the Danish top 5. A quarter of consumers in the Nordic region are worried about buying products with palm oil. This is due to the increased climate awareness that the report describes and an increased focus on rainforest protection and deforestation.
Genetically modified ingredients and antibiotics are also on the top 5 lists in the Nordic countries.
Swedes and Finns are more concerned about artificial sweeteners than Norwegians and Danes. Norwegians, on the other hand, are more concerned about sugar.
Danes are generally less worried about selected foods and ingredients than their Nordic neighbors.
Read more about the report here
About Food & Health 2022
Nordic consumers’ opinion of the food, climate, and health
For 15 years, YouGov has followed the attitudes of Nordic consumers towards food, environment, and health. The goal of Food & Health is to achieve a better understanding of consumers' knowledge and attitudes and track changes over time.
The report is conducted with a national representative sample of the population aged 18 years or older in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. The data collection was carried out between the 11th – and 25th of March 2022. One thousand interviews were conducted in each country.