After the October 2013 discovery of the use of an illegal coloring agent to make adulterated oil look like olive oil, Taiwanese online respondents claimed they became more careful when choosing edible oil and were reducing their overall oil consumption, according to a new study by Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy. Two-fifths (41%) of respondents said they would read the ingredients before making a purchase, 37 percent would choose local brands with good reputations, and three in 10 would reduce eating out.
The Nielsen Edible Oil Safety Survey polled 1,053 Internet respondents from November 22-28, 2013, to evaluate consumer views on oil safety issues.
Nielsen Retail Measurement reveals that sales of edible oil have decreased from around 40 percent to 30 percent since news of the discovery broke in October, with sales of blended oil the most negatively affected. Consumers have increased their purchases of other oils; for example, the market share for soybean oil has risen from 10.2 percent to 17.3 percent.
“Manufacturers can work to increase consumer confidence by emphasizing that their products contain no additives or are 100-percent natural,” said Victoria Jeng, senior director, Retail Measurement Services, Nielsen Taiwan. Manufacturers and distributors should not only control and manage products’ qualities, but they should also attach great importance on their communication with consumers, in order to lower the impact on the sales of other related products”
For more information about Nielsen Edible Oil Safety Survey, please email to Matt Tseng or call 886 2 2756 8668 ext. 693.
Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence and mobile measurement. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA, and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.