The Choice of Bread: The Association between Consumers’ Awareness of Dietary Fiber and Declared Intentions to Eat

The objective of the study was to find whether consumers declare an intention to eat bread enriched with fiber in the situation of availability of a plain bread and plain bread with grains, and how these intentions are related to their awareness of fiber in bread. The data were collected in a cross-sectional survey among 1014 Polish adults. Based on three pictures of rolls: plain wheat roll (CR), roll enriched with 12% fiber (RF), and roll topped with sunflower seeds (RSS), the participants’ perception regarding fiber content and its impact on intentions to eat were assessed. The respondents were not informed about the differences in composition of the rolls. Although RSS contained only slightly more fiber (0.98 g) than CR (0.81 g), and much less than RF (3.08 g), most of the respondents indicated RSS as containing the most fiber (50.8%) and declared their intention to eat it (39.0%). Respondents who pointed out the importance of fiber, and grains or wholemeal flour addition when making purchase decision, were more likely to declare an intention to eat RSS compared with CR. The low interest in fiber content in a diet increased the chances of declaring an intention to eat CR and RF. People less educated and with low incomes were more likely to declare an intention to eat CR rather than RSS. While people from rural areas were more likely to choose RSS compared with CR and RF. In conclusion, there is interest in bread enriched with fiber, but consumers experience difficulties in recognizing it. Declared intentions to eat each rolls were determined to the greatest extent by the perception of the roll as source of fiber. Thus, educational activities should be focused on consumers’ perception of fiber-rich products and their skills related to the selection of high-fiber foods.