Search results

1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 11 March 2020

Yee Ming Lee and Erol Sozen

This study investigated whether consumers have reasonable estimates of the calorie content of Americans' top 10 favorite foods, explored the effects of calorie disclosure on…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigated whether consumers have reasonable estimates of the calorie content of Americans' top 10 favorite foods, explored the effects of calorie disclosure on United States consumers' future consumption frequency of these food items, and examined the effects of health consciousness, food calorie knowledge, and attitudes toward menu labels on intention to use menu labels.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was developed, pilot tested, and distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). The overall model fit and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The results from 1,005 completed surveys showed that the accuracy of calorie estimations varied across food items. Most consumers could not estimate the calories of steak, hamburgers, chocolate chip cookies, and vanilla ice cream within the acceptable range. Disclosure of calorie information did affect future consumption frequency of the food items. The SEM results showed that health consciousness, food calorie knowledge, and attitudes toward menu labels positively affected consumers' future intention to use menu labels.

Originality/value

This study points to a need to educate consumers about food calories and suggests plausible ways to encourage consumers' intention to use of menu labels.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 122 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 December 2021

Seda Erdem

The aim is to explore the impact of new menu labels on consumers' actual meal purchases with a field experiment undertaken in a local restaurant.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim is to explore the impact of new menu labels on consumers' actual meal purchases with a field experiment undertaken in a local restaurant.

Design/methodology/approach

The author used a field experiment in a natural eating environment at a restaurant to investigate the effect of restaurant menu labelling on consumers' meal choices and opinions on the use of nutritional labels on menus. The experiment included control and treatment conditions in which we offered customers unlabelled and labelled menus, respectively. After individuals' dining experience, the data on meal choices and attitudes to menu labelling was collected via a brief questionnaire. The author then performed inferential statistical analysis to test differences between the control and treatment conditions and logistic regression analysis to explore further what predicts the probability of labels being influential on meal choice.

Findings

The study finds that the information provided to the consumers on restaurant menus matters. The more useful the information is perceived by consumers, the more likely the labels will influence their choices. Calorie content and the walking minutes to burn those calories on labels were considered the most useful aspect of the menu labels.

Originality/value

The study contributes to a better understanding of the impact of menu labelling on actual meal purchases, as well as the best way to communicate calorie and nutrient information to consumers. The author also shares her experience designing a field experiment with a restaurateur for future research.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 124 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 12 September 2022

Phitcha Patchutthorn and Saloomeh Tabari

In the last few decades, the obesity rate has increased along with the increasing of away-from-home food consumption at restaurants (Wei & Miao, 2013), especially the food…

Abstract

In the last few decades, the obesity rate has increased along with the increasing of away-from-home food consumption at restaurants (Wei & Miao, 2013), especially the food consumption at quick-service restaurants (QSRs). Previous research stated that the main factors that influence the customers’ food selection are found. Price and quality of food are the most significant things that mostly concerned customers when they are in decision-making process. There is a controversial argument between several studies that identified calorie labelling on menu influences consumers on food choice, while others said vice versa. However, several studies argued that calorie information does not have as much impact on customers’ food purchasing as other factors such as food’s quality, ranges of food, price of food, restaurant’s atmosphere, and speed of food service (Carey & Genevive, 1995). The aim of this chapter is to examine the importance of representing calorie information on menu and its effects on customer decision-making especially at QSRs. Therefore, the following questions have been addressed in this chapter:

What are the factors that influence consumer choice at QSRs?

Does calorie labelling on menus impact customer purchasing at QSRs?

This chapter starts with the introduction of the topic and reviewing previous research on menu labelling and calorie information at QSRs. This chapter aims to provide a better understanding of customer decision-making when ordering a food with regard to calorie information on the menu and the customer preference.

Details

Global Strategic Management in the Service Industry: A Perspective of the New Era
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-081-9

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 July 2022

Diogo Souza-Monteiro, Ben Lowe and Iain Fraser

Numeracy skills hinder a consumer’s ability to meet nutrition and calorie consumption guidelines. This study extends the literature on nutritional labelling by investigating how a…

Abstract

Purpose

Numeracy skills hinder a consumer’s ability to meet nutrition and calorie consumption guidelines. This study extends the literature on nutritional labelling by investigating how a calorie counter, which displays the total amount of calories consumers add to a shopping basket, aids them in making food choices. This study aims to ascertain whether the calorie counter affects food choices and also how individual and situational factors moderate this effect.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the developed hypotheses, the authors designed an online shopping experiment and administered it to a national panel of British consumers. This included a sub-sample from the general population who did not report any food-related health conditions (n = 480) and a separate sub-sample from the same population who had reported a food-related health condition or lived with someone who had one (n = 250).

Findings

The results of this study show that the calorie counter leads to a large and statistically significant reduction in calories purchased when compared to the no nutritional information condition and a small (but statistically insignificant) reduction in the number of calories chosen by consumers when compared to the nutritional information only condition. The main effect is moderated by individual factors such as whether or not the person has a health condition and shopping situations which involve time pressure.

Research limitations/implications

Although the main effect of the calorie counter was not statistically significant when compared to the nutrition information only condition, the effect was in the correct direction and was statistically significant for consumers who had a food-related health condition. The conceptualisation and findings of this study are not only largely consistent with Moorman’s (1990) nutrition information utilisation process but also suggest that situational factors should be considered when understanding nutrition information processing.

Practical implications

The findings from this study provide the first evidence to suggest that aggregating calorie information through a calorie counter can be a useful way to overcome consumer numeracy biases, particularly for those with existing health conditions and who are most motivated to use nutritional information. Based on the descriptive statistics, the main effect was comparable to the UK’s sugar tax in its impact and the authors estimate this would lead to a reduction in calories consumed of about 5,000 per year, even for consumers who did not report a health condition. Further testing is required with different formats, but these results are encouraging and are worthy of further research.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate how consumers react to aggregated nutritional information for a basket of products, mimicking a real shopping situation. Such information has the potential to become more relevant and useful to consumers in the context of their overall diets. As technology advances rapidly, there is a need to explore alternative ways of presenting nutritional information, so it connects more easily with consumers. These results point very much to a more targeted and personally relevant approach to information provision, in contrast to existing mass communications approaches.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 56 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 April 2018

Renata Carvalho Oliveira, Ana Carolina Fernandes, Rossana Pacheco da Costa Proença, Heather Hartwell, Vanessa Mello Rodrigues, Claudia Flemming Colussi and Giovanna M.R. Fiates

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of different menu labelling formats on healthy food choices in a real restaurant setting.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of different menu labelling formats on healthy food choices in a real restaurant setting.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional, randomised and controlled parallel-group trial was conducted in Brazil in 2013. In total, 313 university students were randomly assigned to one of three parallel groups with different menu labelling formats. Of these, data from 233 students were analysed. The others did not attend and were excluded. Intervention Group 1 (n=88) received information in the form of a traffic light plus guideline daily amounts, while Intervention Group 2 (n=74) was presented with ingredients list plus highlighted symbols (IL+S). The control group (n=71) received a menu with no menu labelling. Data were collected on one weekday in a restaurant setting. Trial outcomes were assessed by healthy food choices.

Findings

Healthy food choices of students who received the menu showing IL+S were significantly higher when compared to the other groups. This same menu labelling format positively affected healthy food choices in women, not overweight participants and in participants who often ate out more than twice a week.

Originality/value

Menu labelling format presenting ingredients list and highlighted symbols was positively associated with healthy food choices among the university students in Brazil. This type of labelling could be adopted in future legislation on menu labelling in Brazil and around the world.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 120 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 October 2018

Greta Krešić, Nikolina Liović and Jelka Pleadin

The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between nutrition knowledge and grocery store nutrition label use, with using nutrition information disclosure on menu…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between nutrition knowledge and grocery store nutrition label use, with using nutrition information disclosure on menu selection in a group of hospitality management students, who shall be responsible for menu labelling in their future careers.

Design/methodology/approach

A between-subject design included 324 students, who were randomly assigned to choose from a menu labelled as follows: unlabelled; kcal label only; graphical label providing information on the per cent of the recommended daily intake of energy and four nutrients. Their nutrition knowledge and habit of reading grocery store nutrition labels were tested using an additional questionnaire.

Findings

The results showed that the provision of energy value information resulted in the selection of less energetic, less fat and less salted food, while a graphical label additionally led to the selection of food having a lower saturated fatty acid (SFA) and sugar content. Multiple regression analysis showed that the habit of packaged food nutrition label reading was a significant predictor of choosing food having a lower energy (p<0.001), fat (p<0.001), SFA (p<0.001), sugar (p<0.001) and salt (p=0.003) content, while the influence of nutrition knowledge on food selection was proven insignificant.

Originality/value

Given the established positive impact of menu labelling, these findings support the future European policy mandating energy and nutrient content disclosure on menus, but also point to the need for more-intense consumer education.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 121 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 November 2017

William J. Montford, John Peloza and Ronald Earl Goldsmith

The current research contributes to the marketing literature by examining, and more importantly, better understanding a presentation format (i.e. PACE) in which caloric…

Abstract

Purpose

The current research contributes to the marketing literature by examining, and more importantly, better understanding a presentation format (i.e. PACE) in which caloric information is complemented with physical activity time required to offset consumption. The purpose of this paper is to systematically evaluate the impact of this approach in both actual and simulated consumption settings while providing evidence of its contribution to healthier decision-making. This research uncovered several important insights into how consumers are influenced by, and respond to, the presence of physical activity time.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper used experiential designs in five studies to examine how the presence of physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) information affects consumption. The studies measured both intended and actual consumption behavior. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance as well as bootstrapping methods.

Findings

The paper establishes that PACE information reduces consumption compared to NLEA-mandated information. We show that the effectiveness of PACE information differs based on consumers’ level of health consciousness as well as food type. Our research also uncovers a moderating effect based on perceived difficulty of the featured activity. Finally, we show the psychological process underlying the effectiveness of PACE information.

Research limitations/implications

Future research can address the generalizability of current findings across different consumption domains and contexts. Our work focuses on the efficacy of information delivery at the point of consumption. The results of the current study may differ when the decision is being made at the point of purchase for future consumption.

Practical implications

The paper’s findings represent a win-win scenario for consumers and manufacturers alike. Manufactures stand to benefit from PACE information as many consumers are seeking healthier food options and are willing to pay a premium for items that help them make more healthful choices. Consumers will benefit as well, given the struggle with obesity and other diet-related ills, by being provided with a more effective means of making healthier choices.

Social implications

Obesity and diet-related chronic diseases are global pandemics affecting consumers throughout the world. This paper contributes to this issue by presenting manufacturers and researchers with a better understanding of how consumers can be encouraged to make healthier choices and overcome the barriers to healthier lifestyles.

Originality/value

This paper addresses a gap in the literature as well as an important social concern by better understanding how healthier nutrition choices can be encouraged.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 34 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 September 2020

Nefike Gunden, Cristian Morosan and Agnes DeFranco

The study's purpose was to examine the role of two main factors in the design of online food delivery systems (OFDS) user interfaces: the display of pictures and calories – on…

1886

Abstract

Purpose

The study's purpose was to examine the role of two main factors in the design of online food delivery systems (OFDS) user interfaces: the display of pictures and calories – on consumers' attitudes toward online food delivery systems, intentions to use such systems, spending on a food item and tipping behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is grounded in the elaboration likelihood model. A 2 × 2 randomized post-test only between-subjects experimental design manipulated the types of pictures (food item only vs consumers eating a food item) and calorie information display style (numbers vs activity symbols) to determine whether they influence consumers' attitudes, intentions to purchase, spending and tipping behaviors.

Findings

The results show that the calorie display style influences consumers' intentions to use such systems and consumers' tipping behaviors toward the delivery driver. It was also found that the type of picture shown to consumers influences their intentions to purchase through ODFS, such that pictures of consumers enjoying a product is more effective in stimulating intentions to purchase than pictures containing only the food items.

Research limitations/implications

This study advances the current knowledge on web design for restaurants wishing to distribute via online food delivery systems. Moreover, this study extends the literature on persuasion in online environments by focusing on foodservice – an area that only recently has undergone substantial distribution online. Finally, this study advances the literature on tipping behavior.

Practical implications

This study provides several contributions for both restaurants and online food delivery system designers. Specifically, it illustrates exactly how specific elements in the design of the web interface and the message targeted at consumers influence consumers' behavior. Most importantly, this study provides insight into tipping behaviors for the delivery driver. This is important because the delivery driver is an important participant in the new value chain of restaurant delivery.

Originality/value

As the first study to develop an experiment that tests these important design conditions, this study offers several critical theoretical and practical implications. This study is the first attempt to examine various ways to present persuasive information in an OFDS in order to stimulate consumers' behaviors. Moreover, this study illustrates that the use of website design that enhance social presence is critical to website effectiveness in OFDS.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. 4 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2019

Jeff Bray, Heather Hartwell, Sarah Price, Giampaolo Viglia, Grzegorz Kapuściński, Katherine Appleton, Laure Saulais, Federico J.A. Perez-Cueto and Ioannis Mavridis

Advances have been made in the provision of nutritional and ingredient information on packaged food, however, there is a need to translate this to eating out reflecting consumer…

Abstract

Purpose

Advances have been made in the provision of nutritional and ingredient information on packaged food, however, there is a need to translate this to eating out reflecting consumer desire for greater transparency and knowledge of menu content. The purpose of this paper is to assess consumer’s preferences for food information presentation in four European countries (UK, Greece, Denmark and France) in a workplace dining setting.

Design/methodology/approach

This study focusses on workplace canteens since the regularity in which they are used provides an important context and potential for behaviour change. An exploratory phase designed iteratively in collaboration with experts, end-users and researchers (qualitative) informed a survey (quantitative) conducted in four European countries. The survey was used to examine workplace diners’ preferences towards food information presentation.

Findings

Differences were found and clustered (n=5) to “heuristic processors” (33 per cent) “brand orientated” (25 per cent) “systematic processors” (17.3 per cent) “independent processors” (16.1 per cent) and “tech-savvy” (8.6 per cent). Dual-process theories were used to analyse the findings and produce new insight into how menu information can be most effectively delivered.

Originality/value

When eating-out consumers struggle to make choices or make the wrong choice from a health perspective, partly caused by a lack of nutrient profile information as well as other criteria of concern. Giving catering managers the understanding of preferred communication channels can enable a more competitive operator. Traffic light labelling was the optimal presentation with the opportunity for consumers to discover more detailed information if desired. For the first time this research has given operational clarity whilst allowing food providers to be considered as part of corporate health.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 121 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 1991

D.A. Booth

Consumer motivation is often quite idiosyncraticin its structure, not just in its position within aresponse space common to all customers. Thesensitivity to sensory and conceptual…

Abstract

Consumer motivation is often quite idiosyncratic in its structure, not just in its position within a response space common to all customers. The sensitivity to sensory and conceptual influences of an individual′s brand choices can be used to measure the strengths and interactions of those influences on that person′s choice in the type of situation tested. Aggregation of the resulting personal response spaces provides greater operationalisation and definition of marketing opportunities than other modelling methods. Examples are given for drinks sweetened with sugar or low‐calorie sweetener.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 93 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000