A qualitative exploration of Brazilian parents' attitudes toward food additives through the lens of the Motivation and Opportunity as Determinants Model

Purpose This study aims to investigate parents’ attitudes toward food additives declared on food labels and the influence of food additives on food choices for their children. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of children aged 2–5 years living in Southern Brazil (n = 20). Interview transcripts were analyzed using inductive–deductive coding through the lens of the Motivation and Opportunity as Determinants (MODE) framework. Findings Participants expressed negative attitudes toward additives and stated that their consumption should be avoided. Nevertheless, they did not explicitly consider these substances as an explicit criterion for choosing foods for their children. Instead, heuristics were used to avoid additive consumption, given that participants did not know how to define or provide examples of additives. Additionally, how additives are displayed on food labels was deemed difficult to visualize and understand. Originality/value As far as can be ascertained, this is the first study examining parents’ attitudes toward food additives declared on food labels and the perceived influence of additives on their food choice for their children. The use of the MODE theoretical framework enabled an in-depth understanding of the cognitive and behavioural processes shaping participants’ attitudes and behaviours toward additives. The findings underscore the importance of making information about additives clearer, more readable and easier to understand on food labels, especially for foods targeted at children.