Ninety-three percent of consumers consider honey a “natural” sweetener, with 48 percent of those consumers saying they look for product labels that include honey, according to an independent survey of consumers nationwide. The National Honey Board, Firestone, CO, commissioned the survey to measure consumer perceptions of honey as a sweetener and as an ingredient in a variety of packaged foods, including bread, food bars, yogurt and beverages.

“This independent survey confirmed our assumptions that consumers love honey,” says Catherine Barry, director of marketing, NHB. “Many consumers think the ingredient is natural, look for it on labels and pay more for a product that is made with honey.”

Other key findings of the survey include:

• Fifty-eight percent of consumers with one or more children look for honey on the product label, and 60 percent of consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 look for honey on the product label.
• Nearly 60 percent of consumers would pay at least 5 percent more for bread primarily sweetened with honey. About half of consumers would pay at least 5 percent more for food bars, ready-to-drink tea and yogurt primarily sweetened with honey.
• Consumers ages 18–44, with children, and middle to high incomes are more likely to pay more for products sweetened with honey than other consumers.

For more information, visit www.honey.com.