Consumer response to positive nutrients on the facts up front (FUF) label: A comparison between healthy and unhealthy foods and the role of nutrition motivation

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on three experiments that examine the effects of variations in the nutrition information provided on the FUF label. Study one shows that when a positive nutrient is added to the label, unhealthy food is perceived as healthier; healthy food is unaffected. Study two extends this finding by showing that a spillover effect can occur whereby a similar unhealthy food without any front-of-pack nutrition label may also be perceived as healthier after a person is exposed to a product containing a positive nutrition fact on the FUF label. Study three utilizes eye-tracking to show effects on visual attention.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ According to Rossiter and Bergkvist (2009), carefully crafted single-item measurements for constructs that are defined down to their concrete components are at least as valid as their multi-item counterparts.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a project grant awarded by Northern Kentucky University.