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Article
Publication date: 30 November 2020

Moty Amar, Yaniv Gvili and Aner Tal

This paper aims to offer social marketers an innovative method to promote healthy foods. This method demonstrates the effectiveness of indirect communication in attracting…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to offer social marketers an innovative method to promote healthy foods. This method demonstrates the effectiveness of indirect communication in attracting consumers to healthy foods. Further, it aims to offer a way to promote food as healthier with no detrimental effects on its perceived appeal, which are a likely side effect of advertising food as healthy.

Design/methodology/approach

Four between-participant lab studies (N = 50, 80, 80, 102) included manipulations of food motion vs stillness and then compared ratings of food freshness, healthiness and appeal using self-report measures.

Findings

Motion increases healthiness evaluation. This increase in healthiness evaluation occurs without reductions in food appeal. These effects are mediated by evaluations of freshness. This occurred across three different food types and two mediums (still images and digital videos).

Research limitations/implications

The paper provides an effective tool for social marketers wishing to encourage healthier eating. Specifically, it helps address two problems: low effectiveness of prevalent, information-based appeals to encourage healthy eating; and reduced evaluations of tastiness that normally occur when consumers are convinced food is healthy.

Social implications

Social marketers can use motion as an effective tool to promote food as healthy. Importantly, this indirect communication avoids the potential pitfall of reduced food appeal. This should help encourage healthier eating. The findings also supports the use of indirect cues as an effective approach to promoting social ends.

Originality/value

Offering a novel, indirect method of enhancing judgments of food healthiness via a simple visual cue. Demonstrating the effect and its underlying mechanism. Providing a way to counter the prevalent “unhealthy = tasty” intuition, a major obstacle to promoting healthy eating. Supporting social marketers’ use of indirect communication to increase the appeal of desirable societal goals. Finally, showing that sensory visual cues can serve as a source of heuristic thinking.

Details

Journal of Social Marketing, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6763

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2023

Deidre Popovich and Natalia Velikova

The purpose of this study is to examine how consumers perceive nutrition labeling on wine and how this information impacts healthiness perceptions of wine.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how consumers perceive nutrition labeling on wine and how this information impacts healthiness perceptions of wine.

Design/methodology/approach

A series of four experiments focused on healthiness perceptions and purchase likelihood.

Findings

Consumers who read wine labels rate wine as significantly less healthy. Sugar content affects healthiness perceptions of wine more than calories. Changing the serving size on the label moderates these effects. Consumers high in dietary restraint process this nutrition information differently.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could examine actual purchase behavior using retail data.

Practical implications

This study has implications for consumers, manufacturers and public policy. While currently most consumers are not motivated to read a nutrition label on wine, specific nutrition information can impact consumer perceptions of wine. Consumer education is recommended.

Originality/value

Research on nutrition labeling of alcohol specifically has been very limited.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 40 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 October 2020

Cayetano Medina-Molina and Benito Pérez-González

Spain decided to implement NutriScore with the objective of helping consumers to choose healthier foods. NutriScore is a summary indicator interpretative nutritional labelling…

1226

Abstract

Purpose

Spain decided to implement NutriScore with the objective of helping consumers to choose healthier foods. NutriScore is a summary indicator interpretative nutritional labelling. This study aims to verify whether the coexistence with other interpretative labelling may influence NutriScore effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was used to analyse two different brands in the same category; one of them ranked with a “B” NutriScore rating and the other with a “D” NutriScore rating. The product packaging was shown in four different ways: without indications, with nutrient-specific labels, with summary indicators (NutriScore) and with both interpretative indicators. Having positive and negative evaluations of NutriScore allowed us to assess its impact. Structural equation modelling (SEM), Student t-test and F-test were employed with a sample of 301 questionnaires.

Findings

The different formats of the interpretative labels did not moderate the relationship between perceived healthiness and purchase intention. When a food product is given positive evaluation from NutriScore, nutrient-specific interpretative labelling reinforces the effect of NutriScore. When a food product is given negative evaluation from NutriScore, nutrient specific interpretative labelling cancels the effect of NutriScore on perceived healthiness and purchase intention.

Originality/value

Previous studies have analysed the interaction between NutriScore and nutrient-specific interpretative labels, but they attribute a negative message to the product (warning labels). This study was aimed at analysing the interaction between NutriScore and summary indicators nutrient specific with positive message about the nutritional quality of the food item.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 123 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2021

Won Seok Lee, Jiwoo Jung and Joonho Moon

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of coffee quality on brand preference and loyalty using Starbucks as a study subject. The determinants of coffee food…

1723

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of coffee quality on brand preference and loyalty using Starbucks as a study subject. The determinants of coffee food healthiness are also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

Food quality measures are composed of healthiness, taste, customization, price fairness and convenience. Hygiene and nutrition disclosure were examined as determinants of food healthiness. The highlighted food quality attributes were brand love and brand loyalty. Data were collected using Amazon Mechanical Turk. A total of 431 observations were used for data analysis. A structural equation model was conducted for hypotheses testing.

Findings

The results revealed that healthiness is positively associated with hygiene and nutrition disclosure. Brand love is also significantly influenced by healthiness, taste, customization and price fairness. Moreover, taste and price fairness appeared to be essential determinants of Starbucks brand loyalty.

Originality/value

This study scrutinized food quality in the domain of coffee business, and presented implications for the business. Data collected in this study contributed to the literature by revealing quality attributes of coffee and its determinants and also showing the significant relationship between coffee food quality, brand love and brand loyalty.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 124 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2022

Hanqun Song and Huijun Yang

Outdoor signage, a key aspect of store atmospherics which influence consumer perceptions and behaviour, is largely overlooked in research on restaurants. Studies show that food…

Abstract

Purpose

Outdoor signage, a key aspect of store atmospherics which influence consumer perceptions and behaviour, is largely overlooked in research on restaurants. Studies show that food perceptions relate positively to restaurant choice, but how outdoor signage influences these perceptions is unclear. Hence, the study aims to investigate the effect of signage colour and restaurant name on consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a two (signage colour: blue-white vs. red-yellow) by two (restaurant name: typical vs. atypical) experimental design to investigate the impact of two key elements of corporate visual identity – logo colour and corporate name – on consumers’ attitudes (perceptions of food tastiness and healthiness) and purchase intentions. Two-way analysis of covariance, confirmatory factor analysis and PROCESS are used for data analysis.

Findings

There is a main effect of signage colour on consumers’ perceptions of food healthiness and purchase intentions, and restaurant name significantly affects consumers’ purchase intentions. In addition, there is an interaction effect of signage colour and restaurant name on food healthiness and purchase intentions, and food tastiness and healthiness are associated with purchase intentions.

Practical implications

A key managerial insight emerging from this study is that restaurants’ outdoor signage may be manipulated by restaurateurs to enhance consumers’ perceptions of food healthiness and tastiness, as well purchase intentions.

Originality/value

This study adopts a new angle on corporate visual identity and links existing theories with research on restaurant atmospherics, to explore how brands employing national identity symbols leverages consumers’ prior knowledge to enhance the influence of outdoor signage on their food perceptions and purchase intentions.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 125 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 July 2021

Dominic Thomas, Satheesh Seenivasan and Di Wang

This study aims to reveal the presence of products with negatively correlated nutrients in the marketplace and their implications for consumer choices. It also investigates the…

1263

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to reveal the presence of products with negatively correlated nutrients in the marketplace and their implications for consumer choices. It also investigates the role of an overall simplified nutrition scoring system (SNSS) – health star rating (HSR), in improving the healthiness of consumer choices.

Design/methodology/approach

Three (lab, online and eye-tracking) experiments investigate the effects of negatively correlated nutrients and the mitigating role of an overall SNSS for consumers’ food choices. A final panel-data study analyzes the changes in actual food purchases after the introduction of HSRs (an SNSS) in Australia.

Findings

Experimental results show that consumers use a decision strategy based on a dominant nutrient to choose food products, which creates health halos and leads to less healthy choices when products have negatively correlated nutrients. The presence of an overall SNSS leads to more accurate healthiness perception and healthier choices. Panel data analysis shows that the healthiness of consumer food purchases increased after the introduction of HSRs.

Research limitations/implications

The study investigated the effect of an overall SNSS on specific categories, but not on the overall shopping basket.

Practical implications

For policymakers, this paper shows that overall SNSS helps consumers choose healthier options. Food manufacturers and retailers could be motivated to formulate healthier products when consumers choose healthier options.

Originality/value

This is the first study to document the presence of products with negatively correlated nutrients and their implications for consumer choices. It highlights the unique role of an overall SNSS, in helping consumers identify healthier options when products have negatively correlated nutrients.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 55 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 January 2024

Li Huang, Xi Song, Matthew Tingchi Liu, Wen-yu Chang and Guicheng James Shi

The purpose of this study is to provide a nuanced understanding of the marketing placebo effect (MPE) of products with reduced sugar labeling and how it forms certain perceptual…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide a nuanced understanding of the marketing placebo effect (MPE) of products with reduced sugar labeling and how it forms certain perceptual underpins (perceived healthiness (PH) and perceived tastiness (PT)), with the potential effect of product category and social class in consideration.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model is tested using a sample of 822 participants by employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Hypothetical relationships among MPE, PH, PT, purchase intention (PI) and social class are examined for both hedonic and utilitarian products.

Findings

The results highlight the positive role of MPE in leveraging consumer PI through the parallel mediation of PH and PT. The positive effect of MPE on PH and PT was more pronounced for the utilitarian product. In addition, social class negatively moderated the relationship between PH and PI only in the case of the utilitarian product.

Originality/value

This paper contributed to the MPE literature in the food industry by challenging the conventional intuition of “Unhealthy = Tasty” and highlighting the potential of perceived food healthiness to positively influence perceived food tastiness under the effect of MPE. An upper social class would attenuate the positive effect of perceived food healthiness on PI.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 8 July 2010

D. Kip Holderness and James E. Hunton

This study relies on the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985) to examine the antecedents of regular exercise in the audit profession; in addition, the research model tested…

Abstract

This study relies on the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985) to examine the antecedents of regular exercise in the audit profession; in addition, the research model tested herein includes two key consequences of exercise: physical healthiness and subjective vitality (one dimension of psychological healthiness). A total of 490 auditors (154 from a large regional CPA firm and 336 from a Big-4 CPA firm) participated in the survey. The results indicate that the antecedents of exercise, as articulated by the theory of planned behavior (attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control), are significantly and positively related to actual exercise behavior. As a consequence of exercising, the auditors indicated improved physical and psychological healthiness. From a theoretical perspective, this is the first study to our knowledge to test both antecedents and consequences of exercise in a single model. Practically, the results suggest that CPA firms should create a culture where engaging in regular exercise is expected, accepted, and encouraged; additionally, firms should ensure that auditors have the opportunity and means to exercise on a regular basis, particularly when they are on the road working at client sites. Rising health care costs are a concern for all employers and employees. A greater understanding of how to improve the physical and psychological healthiness of employees will benefit individuals, organizations, and societies.

Details

Advances in Accounting Behavioral Research
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85724-137-5

Article
Publication date: 12 August 2021

Van Thac Dang, Jianming Wang, Hoang Viet Nguyen, Quang Huy Nguyen and Ninh Nguyen

Previous research has yielded mixed results on the relationship between consumer perception and purchase intention towards organic food products. Although the prior literature has…

Abstract

Purpose

Previous research has yielded mixed results on the relationship between consumer perception and purchase intention towards organic food products. Although the prior literature has widely applied planned behaviour theory, using a single theoretical approach often provides limited understanding of organic food consumption. This study builds upon consumer perception and social cognitive theories to examine the effects of perceived food healthiness and environmental consciousness on the purchase intention of organic drinking products. The current research also assesses the mediating role of consumer extrinsic motivation and moderating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) beliefs in these effects.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey method was applied to collect data from 606 consumers from different food retailers in Vietnam. Data were analysed using multivariate analysis techniques, such as structural equation modelling and bootstrap analysis.

Findings

Results of hypothesis testing support the predictive ability of perception and social cognitive theories in explaining consumers' perceptions, motivation and behavioural intention towards organic drinking products. Furthermore, results provide evidence for the moderating effect of CSR beliefs on the relationship between consumer extrinsic motivation and purchase intention.

Originality/value

This study may be amongst the first that explains consumption of organic drinking products from the perspectives of consumer perception and social cognitive theories. It provides a unique research model that explains the influence of perceived food healthiness and environmental consciousness on purchase intention of organic drinking products with the mediating role of consumer extrinsic motivation and moderating role of CSR beliefs. The current research provides fresh insights into the consumption of organic drinking products in an emerging market based on a mediated moderation mechanism, which has been limited in the prior literature.

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2019

Guowei Zhu, George Chryssochoidis and Li Zhou

This paper aims to address how adding food ingredients to a packaged base food affects consumers’ calorie estimation of the new augmented product.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to address how adding food ingredients to a packaged base food affects consumers’ calorie estimation of the new augmented product.

Design/methodology/approach

The four performed experiments and analyses of variance demonstrate an underlying psychological mechanism, explained below.

Findings

Results show that the healthiness of the added food ingredient (AFI) does not matter if the base food is healthy, and consumers’ calorie estimates of the augmented packaged food product are accurate. When, however, the food base is unhealthy, and the AFI is healthy, consumers underestimate the new product calories. This underestimation effect increases further when the healthy ingredients multiply. This underestimation effect endures when these ingredients are presented in a visual form, but it becomes smaller when these ingredients are presented in a verbal form. A justification mechanism is relevant.

Research limitations/implications

Further research should test across the broader range of the food product matrix. There is a great diversity of AFI presentations, and further research may deal with the impact of AFIs of these different forms on consumers’ calorie estimation and healthiness perceptions. Research may also test sensory-arousing mechanisms that can help understand how consumers perceive the calories of the augmented food.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that consumers should be cautious of the judgment bias caused by the presence of an AFI on food packages and raise their awareness regarding nutrition implications and dietary effects. From the perspective of food manufacturers, although adding healthy AFIs to unhealthy base foods may increase consumers’ purchase intention and bring higher profits, it may not be sustainable as a marketing strategy in the long term and has immediate ethical implications.

Social implications

Policymakers should introduce voluntary schemes to monitor and restrict the improper presentation of AFIs, aiming to rule out the abuse of healthy AFIs on unhealthy packaged food.

Originality/value

This work offers three major original and valuable contributions. It explains the effects of AFIs on calorie estimation and consumer healthiness perceptions in a context not studied before, namely, packaged food products. Next, it advances the literature on consumer judgment error and heuristics concerning product package attributes. As adding ingredients is integral to product line extension decisions, the results also clarify how marketing can safeguard firm social responsibility in combating obesity.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 53 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

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