Walk through your grocery store or pharmacy and you will find rows upon rows of dietary supplements. From calcium to cranberry, garlic to ginseng, supplements have become a major industry in America.
Labels on these supplements claim to support bodily systems or functions, or aid in the prevention of certain diseases.
However, these claims are often ineffective, two marketing professors at West Virginia University have found.
Karen France and Paula Bone, marketing professors at WVU s College of Business and Economics, have found that these claims on supplement labels are often ineffective by not expressing what needs to be communicated to the consumer. The WVU researchers interviewed 359 individuals across the nation for their study.
The claims and disclaimers in their current form are not working the way the courts, Congress and the Federal Drug Administration have intended them to,Karen France said.Were looking for the best way to communicate the benefits or risks associated with the product versus what is currently being done.
France and Bone, who researched dietary supplement labels and the publics understanding of current labeling and health claims, presented their findings to the FDA in November. Their study was one of five presented on dietary supplements that demonstrated basically the same conclusion.
Theres a lot of research out there that shows that consumers dont typically use disclaimers,France said.We looked at peoples desire to maintain consistency in their own perceptions.
Unlike conventional foods and drugs, which must be tested for effectiveness and safety before being sold, dietary supplements require no pre-market approval.
When people think about buying dietary supplements, they often seek information based on predispositions that these supplements are good or bad, the WVU researchers found. For instance, consumers who believe dietary supplements are effective will look for label claims that confirm this belief. If they see a disclaimer that contradicts their viewpoint, however, they will discredit that information.
Its more than just ignoring it,Bone said.Its beyond that they dont read it. Its how they interpret it that differs.
Bone and France discovered that when people dont agree with labeling information, they find a reason to doubt the labels validity. This type of purchase decision can affect a persons health.
People who are using dietary supplements in lieu of other medical treatments believe the dietary supplements are going to work and may eliminate other potentially beneficial remedies,France said.
Other people, who believe dietary supplements are not successful, pay no attention to claims on labels when the supplements could be potentially beneficial to them.
Bone and France recognize that dietary supplements can be helpful for some people in certain situations and harmful in others.
Ignoring something thats helpful is bad as well as taking something that is not helpful,Bone said.
Now that the two professors have investigated how consumers interpret claims and disclaimers, they will shift their focus on possible alternatives to convey label information more effectively.
Dietary supplements are a major industry in the United States, and its important how their labels communicate to consumers,Bone said.