The more we know about artificial sweeteners, the less we want to consume them

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked: Food dyes, sweeteners and other ingredients have very much been in the news as priorities for the Make America Healthy Again movement and its chief champion, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. We had asked this question at this time last year so seemed like a sweet idea to trend it. (I’ll stop the food puns there.)

What we found: When we first asked about sweeteners a year ago, agreement was already high among all of these statements and agreement has only gotten higher on most metrics. Many more (84% up from 69%) say they have a good understanding of what a natural vs. artificial sweetener is. 

And as we’ve learned more, it seems, we are less interested in consuming them. 

More now say they think about sweeteners more than they used to, more check labels, more try to limit how much they consume and fewer (though still only 44%, which seems somewhat counter-trend) say they don’t think too much about sweeteners while they’re actually shopping – maybe because they’ve already figured out their plan before they are in-store? 

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

Nearly half of Americans don’t have any cash left over after paying bills

Americans are stressed but also hopeful. Here's why both are possible.

Americans' views on the role of government are shifting

The Ipsos Vibe Check: Here's how Americans feel about the government this week 

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about?