Food Labels Should Indicate Whether Products Were Made Using AI, Say Consumers

According to the survey, which was commissioned by Ingredient Communications and conducted by SurveyGoo, more than half (55%) of respondents agreed with this assertion ‘strongly’, while just 4% disagreed altogether.

Around four fifths (78%), meanwhile, said that legislation should be introduced enforcing the ways that food and drink companies can use AI technology to design and manufacture their products, with just 6% disagreeing.

While more than half of (52%) of respondents agreed that AI is a ‘positive development that will benefit humanity’ (with 21% disagreeing), when asked how they felt about AI being used to create food and beverage products, fewer respondents (42%) answered positively.

A generational split was also identified – a majority of Generation Z (65%) and Millennials (57%) expressed positive sentiments about AI’s role in this sector. In contrast, support was significantly lower among Generation X (44%) and Boomers (25%).

How Consumers Feel

“Many food and beverage companies have rushed to embrace the benefits of AI technology but it’s important they take care to consider how consumers feel about this,” commented Richard Clarke, managing director of Ingredient Communications,

“We’ve seen a huge backlash against AI in the arts and entertainment business. To avoid the same fate, food and beverage manufacturers should pause to reflect on whether they are being sufficiently transparent about their use of AI.”

Safety Concerns

Another finding from the survey was that 44% of respondents believed that a food or beverage product made with the help of artificial intelligence might be ‘less safe’ to consume.

Some 26% said that they would be ‘more likely’ to purchase a product if they knew it was produced using AI, while 29% said they would be ‘less likely’.

“As we saw 30 years ago with the furore over the safety of genetically modified crops, it’s easy for misinformation to spread and stir up fear,” Clarke added. “Food and beverage companies would be wise to implement a communications strategy to ensure the public is kept informed about the ways in which they harness the power of AI tech.”

The survey was conduced among 1,040 consumers in the UK and USA in October 2024.

ESM