Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers
Nutrition claims are positive information about foods, which are widely used as a marketing strategy on labels. On the contrary, front-of-package nutritional labeling (FoPNL) aims to make it easier for consumers to understand the nutritional composition of foods and favor healthy food choices. Howev...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.921065/full |
| _version_ | 1798001748904771584 |
|---|---|
| author | Sarah Morais Senna Prates Ilka Afonso Reis Carlos Felipe Urquizar Rojas Carla Galvão Spinillo Lucilene Rezende Anastácio |
| author_facet | Sarah Morais Senna Prates Ilka Afonso Reis Carlos Felipe Urquizar Rojas Carla Galvão Spinillo Lucilene Rezende Anastácio |
| author_sort | Sarah Morais Senna Prates |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nutrition claims are positive information about foods, which are widely used as a marketing strategy on labels. On the contrary, front-of-package nutritional labeling (FoPNL) aims to make it easier for consumers to understand the nutritional composition of foods and favor healthy food choices. However, the concomitant presence of nutrition claims and FoPNL may hinder the understanding, judgment, and choices of consumers at the moment of purchase. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of nutrition claims on the efficacy of FoPNL models in the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers. It was an experimental cross-sectional study carried out using an online questionnaire, with a total of 720 participants randomly divided into four FoPNL conditions: control, octagon, triangle, and magnifying glass. Each participant looked at 12 food packages, which were produced following the factorial design: (i) food category (cereal bar, whole grain cookies, and snacks); (ii) product type (containing one critical nutrient × containing two critical nutrients); and (iii) nutrition claims (present × absent). The comprehension of nutritional information was evaluated through the identification of excessive nutrients, and the healthfulness perception and purchase intention were evaluated using a seven-point scale. The results indicated that the presence of FoPNL increased the understanding of the information and reduced healthfulness perception and purchase intention. The presence of nutrition claims influenced the three outcomes, decreasing the probability of understanding information about food composition by 32% (OR 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.58–0.78, p < 0.01) and significantly increasing (p < 0.05) average health scores (1.95–2.02) and purchase intention (2.00–2.05). Nonetheless, the interaction “FoPNL × claims” was not significant, which indicated that claims act independently. All FoPNL models were more effective than the control. For the least healthful type of product (two nutrients in excess), the octagon and triangle models were superior to the magnifying glass, regarding the outcome of healthfulness perception. The results prove the efficacy of FoPNL in consumer understanding and judgment. Despite the positive effects of FoPNL, it did not cancel the positivity bias generated by the claims. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:41:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-56d2ead35e564d31a96244711c4b5e38 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-861X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:41:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-56d2ead35e564d31a96244711c4b5e382022-12-22T04:25:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2022-09-01910.3389/fnut.2022.921065921065Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumersSarah Morais Senna Prates0Ilka Afonso Reis1Carlos Felipe Urquizar Rojas2Carla Galvão Spinillo3Lucilene Rezende Anastácio4Food Science Post-Graduation Program, Department of Food Science, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, BrazilDepartment of Statistics, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, BrazilLaboratory of Information System Design, Design Post-Graduation Program, Department of Design, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, BrazilLaboratory of Information System Design, Design Post-Graduation Program, Department of Design, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, BrazilFood Science Post-Graduation Program, Department of Food Science, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, BrazilNutrition claims are positive information about foods, which are widely used as a marketing strategy on labels. On the contrary, front-of-package nutritional labeling (FoPNL) aims to make it easier for consumers to understand the nutritional composition of foods and favor healthy food choices. However, the concomitant presence of nutrition claims and FoPNL may hinder the understanding, judgment, and choices of consumers at the moment of purchase. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of nutrition claims on the efficacy of FoPNL models in the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers. It was an experimental cross-sectional study carried out using an online questionnaire, with a total of 720 participants randomly divided into four FoPNL conditions: control, octagon, triangle, and magnifying glass. Each participant looked at 12 food packages, which were produced following the factorial design: (i) food category (cereal bar, whole grain cookies, and snacks); (ii) product type (containing one critical nutrient × containing two critical nutrients); and (iii) nutrition claims (present × absent). The comprehension of nutritional information was evaluated through the identification of excessive nutrients, and the healthfulness perception and purchase intention were evaluated using a seven-point scale. The results indicated that the presence of FoPNL increased the understanding of the information and reduced healthfulness perception and purchase intention. The presence of nutrition claims influenced the three outcomes, decreasing the probability of understanding information about food composition by 32% (OR 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.58–0.78, p < 0.01) and significantly increasing (p < 0.05) average health scores (1.95–2.02) and purchase intention (2.00–2.05). Nonetheless, the interaction “FoPNL × claims” was not significant, which indicated that claims act independently. All FoPNL models were more effective than the control. For the least healthful type of product (two nutrients in excess), the octagon and triangle models were superior to the magnifying glass, regarding the outcome of healthfulness perception. The results prove the efficacy of FoPNL in consumer understanding and judgment. Despite the positive effects of FoPNL, it did not cancel the positivity bias generated by the claims.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.921065/fullfood labelingnutrition policyFOPwarning labelsconsumer researchconsumer perception |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Morais Senna Prates Ilka Afonso Reis Carlos Felipe Urquizar Rojas Carla Galvão Spinillo Lucilene Rezende Anastácio Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers Frontiers in Nutrition food labeling nutrition policy FOP warning labels consumer research consumer perception |
| title | Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers |
| title_full | Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers |
| title_fullStr | Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers |
| title_short | Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers |
| title_sort | influence of nutrition claims on different models of front of package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods impact on the understanding of nutritional information healthfulness perception and purchase intention of brazilian consumers |
| topic | food labeling nutrition policy FOP warning labels consumer research consumer perception |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.921065/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahmoraissennaprates influenceofnutritionclaimsondifferentmodelsoffrontofpackagenutritionallabelinginsupposedlyhealthyfoodsimpactontheunderstandingofnutritionalinformationhealthfulnessperceptionandpurchaseintentionofbrazilianconsumers AT ilkaafonsoreis influenceofnutritionclaimsondifferentmodelsoffrontofpackagenutritionallabelinginsupposedlyhealthyfoodsimpactontheunderstandingofnutritionalinformationhealthfulnessperceptionandpurchaseintentionofbrazilianconsumers AT carlosfelipeurquizarrojas influenceofnutritionclaimsondifferentmodelsoffrontofpackagenutritionallabelinginsupposedlyhealthyfoodsimpactontheunderstandingofnutritionalinformationhealthfulnessperceptionandpurchaseintentionofbrazilianconsumers AT carlagalvaospinillo influenceofnutritionclaimsondifferentmodelsoffrontofpackagenutritionallabelinginsupposedlyhealthyfoodsimpactontheunderstandingofnutritionalinformationhealthfulnessperceptionandpurchaseintentionofbrazilianconsumers AT lucilenerezendeanastacio influenceofnutritionclaimsondifferentmodelsoffrontofpackagenutritionallabelinginsupposedlyhealthyfoodsimpactontheunderstandingofnutritionalinformationhealthfulnessperceptionandpurchaseintentionofbrazilianconsumers |