Food labels are one of the most important direct means of communication of product information between consumers and food manufacturers. Food labeling includes any written, printed, or graphic matter that is presented on the label accompanying the food or is displayed near food to promote its sale. “Pre-packaged” or “Prepacked food”, means food, which is placed in a package of any nature, in such a manner that the contents cannot be changed without tampering with it and which is ready for sale to the consumer. The current study aims to determine the extent to which consumers understand the importance of food labels. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at supermarkets and malls in Benghazi city. The study included four hundred participants, and questionnaires collected data. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The chi-square test was used to examine the significant differences in the sample. Most participants were male and young and most were married, employers with high education levels and middle-income levels. Results from this study indicated high participants’ perception of the importance of food labels. However, more than (80%) of the present study population perceived food labeling as very important information, Statistically significant differences in perceiving food labeling as important information were reflected by the chi-square test among participants with different levels of education, different genders, and different occupations. These findings will support future efforts to educate the public about the importance of food labels.
Keywords: Perception, Benghazi, Consumers, Food, Labels, Socio-demographic