“Fight for me and I will be with you”: How product deciphering app digital activism influences user loyalty

Abstract

Although the use of product deciphering applications (PDAs)—such as Yuka and Fooducate—is becoming increasingly common, there remains a lack of research on how users perceive these apps, and specifically how PDAs’ perceived digital activism influences user loyalty. PDAs are mobile applications that allow users to scan the composition or contents of products, providing precise information about how these products may affect their health. However, users also perceive these PDAs as engaging in digital activism: advocating for users by actively promoting significant change regarding (potentially) unethical practices by certain product manufacturers. This paper investigates the mechanisms (i.e., perceived app authenticity and self-app connection) and conditions (i.e., political ideology and health consciousness) through which perceived digital activism in PDAs affects user loyalty. Four quantitative studies were conducted in France, involving a total of 832 individuals (exploratory pre-study: N₁ = 61; confirmatory pre-study: N₂ = 122; cross-sectional study: N₃ = 403; experimental study: N₄ = 246). Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling, OLS regression, and ANOVA. Results show that perceived app authenticity and self-app connection both mediate the relationship between perceived digital activism and user loyalty. These mediators are further moderated by political ideology and health consciousness—i.e., the effects of perceived digital activism on user loyalty via perceived app authenticity or self-app connection are stronger for liberal than for conservative users, and stronger for high health-conscious than for low health-conscious users.