Page 12 - Food & Drink Magazine March 2021

What’s in a claim
Product claims are one of the most important links between consumer and brand. Research company PLAY MR recently asked people what they thought about claims. Its account director Katherine Savage reveals what they found.
CLAIMS are one of the most powerful tools in a brand’s toolbox. They have a key role in the relationship between a brand and consumers, not only through their appearance in packs, but also in their usage in comms and messaging.
So, no pressure, but as a brand, you’ve got to get your claims right. When they work, they can really work, but when they go wrong... yikes!
There are plenty of articles about brands that have been caught with misleading claims, but even just an off-the-mark claim can lose potential sales. We asked Australian consumers to tell us about the claims that spoke to them, and those that ended in disappointment. Here’s what we learnt and some rules to help avoid missteps.
The views expressed in the following quotes are those of consumers surveyed and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PLAY MR or Food & Drink Business.
1Don’t lie.
Simple, really. What consumers say:
“Frozen peas with mint: claimed the product was all
Australian which is why I bought them. When I got home, I read the ingredients list and while they were Australian grown peas, the mint was imported. It is beyond me how companies are allowed to have eye catching labelling claiming all Australian made, then in small print, something is imported. On a good note, I have found a great alternative that is Australian made, grown, produced and packed. 110 per cent true, spot on, exactly what the packaging, label and claims of the product say.”
2
doesn’t underwhelm.
“[I don’t like...] Woolworths
brand Orange Juice has 5 per cent real fruit. Well, to me, that’s almost the same as there being NO real fruit in it.”
3
‘Australian made’ has positive associations with producing high quality, well-regulated, trustworthy products, and supporting the local economy, especially following the bushfires in Australia and COVID-19 lockdowns.
Some claims are positively received by those ‘in the know’, for example Darrell Lea Chocolate’s ‘Now 100% Palm Oil Free’. To those who are aware of the environmental impact of using palm oil, this is a powerful claim, but can be rather obscure to anyone who doesn’t know what palm oil is.
“I normally buy the cheapest frozen chips, but I have switched to a slightly higher priced item in this range to get Australian made for three reasons: to support Aussie farmers, reduce food miles and get a safer product that’s less likely to be recalled.”
4
consumer’s minds even after the manufacturer has stopped using them, which can lead to disappointment and confusion.
If you’re confident you can promise 100 per cent of all ingredients sourced in Australia for the long-term, go for it.
But if there’s a chance that might not be true in the near future, it’s probably a risk you don’t want to take, especially when customers are quick to interrogate, as Kimberly Clark
12 | Food&Drink business | March 2021 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au
Remember to impress.
Make sure your claim
Talk to claims that your
consumers value.
Stick to your claims!
Some claims linger in