From visual bias to sensory redemption: Consumer perception of suboptimal fruits through the lens of expectation-disconfirmation theory

Abstract

This work intended to contribute to the literature on food waste by examining how consumers perceive fruits that deviate from conventional quality standards due to visual imperfections, through the lens of expectation-disconfirmation theory. Three specific objectives were addressed: (i) to explore consumers' sensory and hedonic expectations, as well as their purchase intentions and willingness to pay, based solely on the appearance of suboptimal fruit; (ii) to analyze consumers' sensory and hedonic perception, as well as purchase intentions and willingness to pay during blind tasting; and (iii) to assess whether expectation disconfirmation is assimilated when consumers are informed about the product's suboptimality. Two studies were conducted using apples and mandarins, two of the most consumed fruits in Uruguay. Each study compared optimal with suboptimal fruits exhibiting external visual defects that were not expected to affect internal quality. Participants evaluated the fruits under three conditions: (a) blind, (b) visual/expected, and (c) informed. Across both studies, fruits with visual imperfections received significantly lower ratings for appearance, expected liking, purchase intention, and willingness to pay than their optimal counterparts. However, in the blind condition, only minor differences were found between optimal and suboptimal samples, indicating a strong disconfirmation of expectations. In the informed condition, this disconfirmation was not fully assimilated, suggesting that sensory experience has the potential to override negative expectations. These findings highlight the potential of strategies such as in-store tastings and informative messaging about taste and quality to mitigate visual bias and enhance the acceptability of suboptimal fruits. Such approaches may serve as effective tools to reduce consumer-driven food waste.