Snack dilemma: How vending machines influence choice of virtue and vice foods

IF 11 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services Pub Date : 2025-06-10 DOI:10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104369

Agnese Perfetti , Rocco Pietrini , Daniele Scarpi , Giacomo Gistri

{"title":"Snack dilemma: How vending machines influence choice of virtue and vice foods","authors":"Agnese Perfetti , Rocco Pietrini , Daniele Scarpi , Giacomo Gistri","doi":"10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104369","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigates consumer decision-making in vending machine settings, focusing on choosing between vice (less healthy) and virtue (healthier) products. The study identifies key drivers that influence purchases and explains these choices through construal-level theory. By analyzing real transaction data from 13,709 purchases, we examine how product familiarity, price, payment method, time of day, and product placement affect consumer behavior. The results reveal that product familiarity and price significantly influence the selection of vice products. Conversely, placing virtue products on higher rows and the right-hand side of the vending machine enhances their likelihood of being chosen. Furthermore, the context of vending machine locations, including workplaces, universities, and hospitals, uniquely shapes the dynamics between vice and virtue product choices. These findings, interpreted through construal level theory, provide actionable insights for optimizing vending machine layouts and promoting healthier consumer behaviors. Ultimately, this research contributes to retailing and public health by providing strategies to promote healthier choices in environments where vending machines are prevalent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48399,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services","volume":"87 ","pages":"Article 104369"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698925001481","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

This research investigates consumer decision-making in vending machine settings, focusing on choosing between vice (less healthy) and virtue (healthier) products. The study identifies key drivers that influence purchases and explains these choices through construal-level theory. By analyzing real transaction data from 13,709 purchases, we examine how product familiarity, price, payment method, time of day, and product placement affect consumer behavior. The results reveal that product familiarity and price significantly influence the selection of vice products. Conversely, placing virtue products on higher rows and the right-hand side of the vending machine enhances their likelihood of being chosen. Furthermore, the context of vending machine locations, including workplaces, universities, and hospitals, uniquely shapes the dynamics between vice and virtue product choices. These findings, interpreted through construal level theory, provide actionable insights for optimizing vending machine layouts and promoting healthier consumer behaviors. Ultimately, this research contributes to retailing and public health by providing strategies to promote healthier choices in environments where vending machines are prevalent.

查看原文本刊更多论文

零食困境：自动贩卖机如何影响人们对有益食物和有害食物的选择

这项研究调查了消费者在自动售货机设置下的决策，重点是在恶习（不健康）和美德（更健康）产品之间的选择。该研究确定了影响购买的关键驱动因素，并通过识解水平理论解释了这些选择。通过分析13,709次购买的真实交易数据，我们研究了产品熟悉度、价格、支付方式、时间和产品位置如何影响消费者行为。结果表明，产品熟悉度和价格显著影响副产品的选择。相反，把有价值的商品放在自动售货机的高排和右侧，会增加它们被选中的可能性。此外，自动售货机所在的环境，包括工作场所、大学和医院，独特地塑造了恶习和美德产品选择之间的动态关系。通过解释水平理论解释的这些发现，为优化自动售货机布局和促进更健康的消费者行为提供了可操作的见解。最终，这项研究通过提供在自动售货机普遍存在的环境中促进更健康选择的策略，为零售业和公共卫生做出了贡献。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services BUSINESS-

CiteScore

20.40

自引率

14.40%

发文量

340

审稿时长

20 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services is a prominent publication that serves as a platform for international and interdisciplinary research and discussions in the constantly evolving fields of retailing and services studies. With a specific emphasis on consumer behavior and policy and managerial decisions, the journal aims to foster contributions from academics encompassing diverse disciplines. The primary areas covered by the journal are: Retailing and the sale of goods The provision of consumer services, including transportation, tourism, and leisure.