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Assessing information on food packages

Clement, Jesper ; Gidlöf, Kerstin LU ; Smith, Viktor ; Zlatev, Jordan LU and van de Weijer, Joost LU orcid (2017) In European Journal of Marketing 51(1). p.219-237
Abstract
Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an experimental study which aims at assessing the potentially misleading effect of graphic elements on food packaging. The authors call these elements potentially misleading elements (PMEs) as they can give customers false expectations. They are either highlighted numerical information (30 per cent fibre, 8 per cent fat, 100 per cent natural […]) or pictorial information with no relation to the product (e.g. images of happy people).
Design/methodology/approach

In a combined decision task monitored by eye-tracking and a subsequence survey, the authors tested the impact of PMEs on common products. Combining different pairs of products, where one product had a PME, whereas... (More)
Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an experimental study which aims at assessing the potentially misleading effect of graphic elements on food packaging. The authors call these elements potentially misleading elements (PMEs) as they can give customers false expectations. They are either highlighted numerical information (30 per cent fibre, 8 per cent fat, 100 per cent natural […]) or pictorial information with no relation to the product (e.g. images of happy people).
Design/methodology/approach

In a combined decision task monitored by eye-tracking and a subsequence survey, the authors tested the impact of PMEs on common products. Combining different pairs of products, where one product had a PME, whereas the other did not, the authors could evaluate if preference correlated with the presence of a PME.
Findings

The authors found both types of PMEs to have analogous effects on participants’ preferences and correlate with participants’ visual attention. The authors also found evidence for a positive influence on a later explicit justification for the specific choice.
Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in a lab environment and solely related to health-related decisions. The authors still need to know if these findings are transferable to real in-store decisions and other needs such as high quality or low price. This calls for further research.
Practical implications

The topic is important for food companies, and it might become a priority in managing brand equity, combining consumer preferences, loyalty and communicative fairness.
Originality/value

Using eye-tracking and retrospective interviews brings new insights to consumer’s decision-making and how misleading potentially occurs. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
European Journal of Marketing
volume
51
issue
1
pages
219 - 237
publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
external identifiers
  • scopus:85011423373
  • wos:000396718400011
ISSN
0309-0566
DOI
10.1108/EJM-09-2013-0509
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ac8542b6-6b1f-4ab2-af20-5fdc94d5e1ec
date added to LUP
2016-06-22 14:44:04
date last changed
2023-11-07 13:06:46
@article{ac8542b6-6b1f-4ab2-af20-5fdc94d5e1ec,
  abstract     = {{Purpose<br/><br/>The purpose of this paper is to present an experimental study which aims at assessing the potentially misleading effect of graphic elements on food packaging. The authors call these elements potentially misleading elements (PMEs) as they can give customers false expectations. They are either highlighted numerical information (30 per cent fibre, 8 per cent fat, 100 per cent natural […]) or pictorial information with no relation to the product (e.g. images of happy people).<br/>Design/methodology/approach<br/><br/>In a combined decision task monitored by eye-tracking and a subsequence survey, the authors tested the impact of PMEs on common products. Combining different pairs of products, where one product had a PME, whereas the other did not, the authors could evaluate if preference correlated with the presence of a PME.<br/>Findings<br/><br/>The authors found both types of PMEs to have analogous effects on participants’ preferences and correlate with participants’ visual attention. The authors also found evidence for a positive influence on a later explicit justification for the specific choice.<br/>Research limitations/implications<br/><br/>This study was conducted in a lab environment and solely related to health-related decisions. The authors still need to know if these findings are transferable to real in-store decisions and other needs such as high quality or low price. This calls for further research.<br/>Practical implications<br/><br/>The topic is important for food companies, and it might become a priority in managing brand equity, combining consumer preferences, loyalty and communicative fairness.<br/>Originality/value<br/><br/>Using eye-tracking and retrospective interviews brings new insights to consumer’s decision-making and how misleading potentially occurs.}},
  author       = {{Clement, Jesper and Gidlöf, Kerstin and Smith, Viktor and Zlatev, Jordan and van de Weijer, Joost}},
  issn         = {{0309-0566}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{219--237}},
  publisher    = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Marketing}},
  title        = {{Assessing information on food packages}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/EJM-09-2013-0509}},
  doi          = {{10.1108/EJM-09-2013-0509}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}