This study was done to find if consumers properly use health information inscribed on food packs before they buy and consume them. The study was predicted on one theory – Feature Integration Theory (FIT). The objectives among other things, were to ascertain if consumers notice and read inscriptions on food packs; and if the illegible type of inscriptions on food packs restrain readability of the inscriptions. Survey was adopted as the study design, while questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample size of 370 Staff and Students of Nsukka campus in Enugu State. Findings showed that most of the consumers notice and read the products’ brand names but do not notice and read the health information inscribed on the food packs. The findings also indicate, amongst others that consumers do not notice and read health information on food packs because such inscriptions are not colourful, and have smaller type sizes. Based on the forgoing, it was recommended that the stakeholders (NAFDAC, and manufacturers) should device a means to increase the type size of health inscriptions on food packs, so consumers will read it the way they read brand names of the food products they want to buy. Stakeholders should set up programmes to sensitize consumers on the importance of being healthfully informed before consuming packaged foods. Further, Nigerian government should take cue from UK health policies, and implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling.
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Journal of Mass Communication & Journalism received 205 citations as per Google Scholar report
