Best before dates are ranked as the most important deciding factor when buying foods, with price coming a close second, according to the Consumers' Association of Ireland.
CAI Chief Executive Dermott Jewell said consumers are often confused by creative marketing techniques and, as a result, see the best before date as the most reliable and the most sought after information on the label.
Mr Jewell said consumers are bombarded with a number of concerns ranging from issues with genetically modified food and organic foods, to labelling and the origin of food stuffs.
But he said his association has found that consumers are simply concerned about foods that are better, faster, fresher, cheaper, and most importantly, what country they are sourced from.
A meeting of the Consultative Council of the Food Safety Authority about the sourcing of food in Ireland was told that the price of food fell last year by 7.8%, with non-alcoholic beverages falling by 11.7%.
Economist Jim Power, who is chairman of Love Irish Food, said the current volatile price environment has led to many consumers ranking price more important than quality.
Raymond O'Rourke, Food and Consumer Lawyer and member of the Taste Council, said Irish shoppers are increasingly putting more emphasis on the importance of information on food labels, and that legislation regarding country of origin should be harmonised across the EU, allowing consumers to make more informed choices.
Mr O'Rourke said Bord Bia studies have shown that Irish shoppers are not just claiming an interest in food produced locally.
They are increasingly buying local produce, with a steady increase in the numbers purchasing Irish products on a weekly basis. Quality symbols have also grown in significance, with 48% of shoppers always checking for these merits compared to 29% in 2001.
26% of shoppers confirm that they always check the country of origin on the label.
