The Role of Dynamic Shelf Life Labels in Consumers’ Buying Decisions.
(2025) MTTM01 20251Packaging Logistics
- Abstract
- This study investigates how expiration dates and dynamic shelf life labels influence consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for fresh chicken products. Using a discrete choice experiment (DCE), the research evaluates the impact of shelf life duration, price, and the presence of a real-time freshness indicator on consumer decision-making. A sample of fresh chicken consumers in Lund, Sweden, participated in an online survey comprising hypothetical purchasing scenarios. Results from a conditional logit model revealed that while price and expiration dates significantly affected consumer choice, the freshness label had a limited overall effect. However, further segmentation identified a consumer group that exhibited a positive and... (More)
- This study investigates how expiration dates and dynamic shelf life labels influence consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for fresh chicken products. Using a discrete choice experiment (DCE), the research evaluates the impact of shelf life duration, price, and the presence of a real-time freshness indicator on consumer decision-making. A sample of fresh chicken consumers in Lund, Sweden, participated in an online survey comprising hypothetical purchasing scenarios. Results from a conditional logit model revealed that while price and expiration dates significantly affected consumer choice, the freshness label had a limited overall effect. However, further segmentation identified a consumer group that exhibited a positive and significant preference for the label, suggesting heterogeneity in consumer responses. WTP analysis showed a non-linear decline in perceived value as products neared their expiration date, with the largest drop on the last day of shelf life. Additionally, consumer behaviour data indicated that most shoppers regularly check expiration dates and generally use other cues (such as sensory attributes) to establish freshness and edibility. These findings highlight the potential of dynamic shelf life labels to mitigate value loss and support informed purchasing decisions for perishable foods in retail settings. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Have you ever thrown away a yoghurt, a sandwich, or a pack of chicken simply because the expiry date had passed, even if it did not seem spoiled? You’re not alone. In Sweden and across Europe, millions of tonnes of perfectly edible food are discarded at the retail and household level, just because exceeding the expiration date. This happens largely because current expiry dates are static, sometimes based on assumptions, and fail to reflect the real-time condition of each item. But what if the label could tell us how fresh the food really is? This project investigates how shoppers respond to a new type of smart labeling that does just that.
This master’s thesis evaluates a possible solution: a dynamic shelf life label. Developed by a... (More) - Have you ever thrown away a yoghurt, a sandwich, or a pack of chicken simply because the expiry date had passed, even if it did not seem spoiled? You’re not alone. In Sweden and across Europe, millions of tonnes of perfectly edible food are discarded at the retail and household level, just because exceeding the expiration date. This happens largely because current expiry dates are static, sometimes based on assumptions, and fail to reflect the real-time condition of each item. But what if the label could tell us how fresh the food really is? This project investigates how shoppers respond to a new type of smart labeling that does just that.
This master’s thesis evaluates a possible solution: a dynamic shelf life label. Developed by a Swedish company called Innoscentia, this label changes colour based on the actual freshness of the product inside the packaging. It offers a dynamic, real-time alternative to the traditional "best before" date. To test how people might react to this innovation, a consumer study was carried out in Lund. Through an online survey, participants were asked to choose between different packages of fresh chicken, some with traditional labels and others including the freshness indicator. Then, it was analysed how different factors, such as price, expiry date, and the presence of the smart label, influenced their decisions and how much they are willing to pay.
The results were interesting. While most people still paid the most attention to price and expiry dates to make their buying decisions, a specific group of shoppers were willing to pay up to 10% more for chicken that included the smart label. However, these results were not the same for all consumers; some consumers seemed to be hesitant about the label since they valued the packages with smart label 23% lower than those without it. This shows that there’s potential for this technologies as some consumers showed appreciation for the label but also highlights that consumers need to understand and trust the technology before it becomes a success.
Why does this matter? If dynamic shelf life labels like these can help consumers and retailers make informed decisions about when to throw away a food product, they could help reduce unnecessary food waste, save money, and cut down on the environmental impact of discarded food. But just introducing new technology isn’t enough; clear communication, visual simplicity and most importantly, building trust in the technology, are key factors to make these innovations work in real life. This study shows that the path to more sustainable food systems does not only occurs in factories, but it also goes through our shopping baskets, and the decisions we make every day. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9204000
- author
- Porras Alzate, Juliana LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MTTM01 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- fresh chicken product, expiration dates, dynamic shelf life label, willingness to pay, discrete choice experiment
- language
- English
- id
- 9204000
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-23 08:24:54
- date last changed
- 2025-06-23 08:24:54
@misc{9204000,
abstract = {{This study investigates how expiration dates and dynamic shelf life labels influence consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for fresh chicken products. Using a discrete choice experiment (DCE), the research evaluates the impact of shelf life duration, price, and the presence of a real-time freshness indicator on consumer decision-making. A sample of fresh chicken consumers in Lund, Sweden, participated in an online survey comprising hypothetical purchasing scenarios. Results from a conditional logit model revealed that while price and expiration dates significantly affected consumer choice, the freshness label had a limited overall effect. However, further segmentation identified a consumer group that exhibited a positive and significant preference for the label, suggesting heterogeneity in consumer responses. WTP analysis showed a non-linear decline in perceived value as products neared their expiration date, with the largest drop on the last day of shelf life. Additionally, consumer behaviour data indicated that most shoppers regularly check expiration dates and generally use other cues (such as sensory attributes) to establish freshness and edibility. These findings highlight the potential of dynamic shelf life labels to mitigate value loss and support informed purchasing decisions for perishable foods in retail settings.}},
author = {{Porras Alzate, Juliana}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The Role of Dynamic Shelf Life Labels in Consumers’ Buying Decisions.}},
year = {{2025}},
}