{"title":"Small changes, big impact: Reducing ultra processed foods choices among low-income consumers with a swap nudge","authors":"Silvia Sapio , Gerarda Caso , Azzurra Annunziata , Riccardo Vecchio","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To satisfy consumer demand for convenient, tasty, and inexpensive products, Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) have become increasingly prevalent in many countries worldwide. This rise in UPFs consumption can however contribute to several health issues, particularly among low-income groups, who are more susceptible to making unhealthy food purchases. Nudging is an approach that aims to influence consumer behavior toward desired outcomes. In the context of a digital environment, the swap suggests healthier alternatives when an individual selects an unhealthy food option. Herein, an experiment was conducted on 810 low-income Italians responsible for household food purchases, who were asked to select a main and side dish in an online supermarket. When UPFs were selected, a food swap was proposed, offering a minimally processed alternative. Results provide evidence that a food swap can reduce the selection of UPFs among low-income consumers and identify specific individual factors that influence the effectiveness of a food swap among this target population. Specifically, 23 % of participants accepted the swap, and younger males, with higher UPFs consumption levels and lower reactance, were more likely to follow the nudge, suggesting the potential for targeted interventions in the digital environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 105535"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Quoc Cuong Nguyen , Mai Anh Ngoc Vo , Thuy Ung-Pham , Van Viet Man Le
{"title":"Turning waste into wealth: Vietnamese consumer willingness-to-pay for upcycled biscuits","authors":"Quoc Cuong Nguyen , Mai Anh Ngoc Vo , Thuy Ung-Pham , Van Viet Man Le","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105534","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105534","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food waste is unethical, costly, and depletes the ecosystem. Upcycled food production ranks above animal feed production in food waste management, except for prevention and redistribution. Brewer's spent grain, a by-product of the brewing industry, is rich in protein and fibre, making it a great biscuit fortifier. Brewer's spent grain is nutritious, however adding BSG to meals may affect texture, flavour, and consumer acceptance. This study investigates the mediated effect of consumer awareness of by-product ingredients on buying intent. A choice experiment has been used to assess trade-offs among various product attributes, including ingredients, sensory characteristics, nutritional content, sustainability information, and price. Mediation analysis showed that consumers who learn about upcycled ingredients are more likely to buy them. This effect was caused by hearing upcycled ingredients, not awareness. Taste was the main reason consumers buy or not buy upcycled biscuits. The choice experiment indicated that consumers generally preferred low-priced biscuits produced with innovative flour (i.e., BSG), which also included a high fibre claim and an upcycled logo. Two consumer clusters existed based on their attitudes towards features impacting consumer choices. Consumers in cluster 1 (“Environmentalist”) exhibited the highest preferences for sustainability information, whereas consumers in cluster 2 (“Nutritionist”) demonstrated notable preferences for fibre content. Our findings show that customers will pay more for upcycled biscuits if they are informed of their nutritional and environmental benefits. Heterogeneous preferences across individuals significantly influences purchase decisions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 105534"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143777601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How do omnivore consumers perceive plant-based alternatives to yoghurt, cheese, eggs and salmon? Comparison with animal-based counterparts and consideration of the effect of nutrition and ingredient information","authors":"Sara R. Jaeger , Sok L. Chheang , Gastón Ares","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105531","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105531","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research was motivated by the sustainable food transition and focused on plant-based (PB) alternatives to yoghurt, cheese, eggs and fish (salmon). An online study was conducted with 1667 consumers from the United Kingdom who were omnivores. Among participants, 24 % were restricted omnivores (or flexitarians) and made some efforts to reduce their animal food intake. Written names were used as product stimuli and varied according to protein type (PB or animal-based). Compared with animal foods, the findings revealed a strong negative perception of PB variants that spanned the four product categories and seven response variables – overall appeal, healthy, affordable, good for the environment, tasty, natural, and versatile. Further, it extended to behavioural intention, where willingness to eat the PB variants was much lower than for the animal-based counterparts. The effect of nutrition and/or ingredient information on product perceptions and behavioural intent was examined, but no major effect was found. When participants were segmented according to their stated willingness to transition to a vegetarian diet, those with a higher willingness (∼1/3 of the total sample) perceived the PB variants more positively than those with lower transition willingness. This latter group (19 % of participants) also showed a significantly higher willingness to eat the PB food alternatives. Collectively, the findings contribute to the accumulating evidence that PB alternatives to animal foods may face many barriers to uptake among consumers who are currently not open to major dietary changes towards sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 105531"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143817273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Helen Vaikma , Maarja Maasikmets , Rain Kuldjärv , Mari-Liis Kutti , Sirli Rosenvald , Evita Straumite , Irina Stulova
{"title":"Sensory perception and preferences of oat-based vanilla-flavoured frozen desserts among children (aged 8–16) and adults","authors":"Helen Vaikma , Maarja Maasikmets , Rain Kuldjärv , Mari-Liis Kutti , Sirli Rosenvald , Evita Straumite , Irina Stulova","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105533","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105533","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The demand for plant-based alternatives has grown significantly in recent years, driven by environmental, animal welfare, and health concerns. This study focused on oat-based frozen desserts, with dairy-based ice cream included as a reference, examining sensory perception and overall pleasantness among children (8–16 years) and adults (<em>n</em> = 210; 105 each) in Estonia and Latvia. Exploring how different groups perceive these products would indicate what to focus on in product development. While all samples were rated as generally pleasant, flavour emerged as the primary driver of overall pleasantness. Dairy-based ice cream consistently received the highest ratings across all groups, linked to sensory qualities like “vanilla,” “sweet,” “buttery,” “milky,” and “natural”, as well as its “fattier” and “creamier” texture, likely enhanced by milk fat. Among oat-based samples, the least pleasant sample exhibited off-notes, likely caused by added flavouring rather than plant-based ingredients, as “vegetal” nuances were consistent across all oat-based products. Children were less attentive to “off-flavour” and “vegetal” flavours, possibly due to children's simpler sensory expectations. Similar tendency was shown with Latvians, which could be related to lower ice cream consumption in Latvia compared to Estonia, leading to less defined expectations. These findings highlight the need to improve the sensory attributes of oat-based frozen desserts, particularly through flavour and possibly texture refinement. Enhancing these characteristics is essential to increasing consumer acceptance, especially among those more familiar with dairy products. Aligning these improvements with targeted marketing strategies could further boost the acceptance and consumption of plant-based frozen desserts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 105533"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143777600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Brazilian consumers' interpretation and use of high-in labels: An exploratory study at the point of purchase in two cities","authors":"Laudiane Justo Sant'Anna , Marcela de Alcantara , Inayara Beatriz Araujo Martins , Leandro Machín , Gastón Ares , Rosires Deliza","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105528","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105528","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 105528"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143785817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oratile C. Sehoole , Hely Tuorila , Henrietta L. de Kock
{"title":"The image of cowpeas among urban South Africans who vary in familiarity with the product","authors":"Oratile C. Sehoole , Hely Tuorila , Henrietta L. de Kock","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined cognitive (knowledge and beliefs) and affective (emotions) attributes influencing the adoption of cowpeas among urban respondents (<em>N</em> = 931) aged 18–46 years in South Africa. Three groups of respondents based on familiarity with cowpeas were identified: unfamiliar (13 %), non-users (36 %), and users (51 %). Respondents' general perceived image (GPI) of cowpeas, emotions, nutrition knowledge, beliefs, liking and likelihood to include cowpeas (adoption intention) in their diet were measured. After exposure to a video highlighting cowpea nutritional and health benefits, preparation tips, and styled photographs of innovative culinary products made using cowpeas, respondents' GPI, emotions, liking, and the likelihood of including them in their diet were measured again. There was a significant difference in GPI, emotions, nutrition knowledge, beliefs, liking and adoption intention among the three familiarity groups. Respondents were not very informed about the nutritional properties of cowpeas. Users agreed more strongly with positive nutrition knowledge and belief statements about cowpeas than the non-users and unfamiliar groups. The mean ratings for GPI, emotions, liking and adoption intention were higher for all groups after the video intervention, but the effect was most profound for the non-users. The study provides a cross-sectional view of the image of cowpeas in the South African urban market. It provides insights into the attributes affecting cowpea image formation and indicates that information dissemination and showcasing innovative culinary products can enhance the positive image of cowpea and potentially increase its use and consumption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 105532"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Riccardo Testa , Giuseppina Rizzo , Riccardo Vecchio , Francesco Vella , Giorgio Schifani , Giuseppina Migliore
{"title":"The meat paradox and health-related aspects: A cluster analysis among red meat consumers","authors":"Riccardo Testa , Giuseppina Rizzo , Riccardo Vecchio , Francesco Vella , Giorgio Schifani , Giuseppina Migliore","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105529","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105529","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many consumers in Western countries enjoy eating meat as they consider it a key component in their diets, despite increasing awareness of the negative effects of meat overconsumption. The inner conflict that arises from the discrepancy between consumers' attitudes and actual behaviour can be named the “meat paradox.” Thus, meat eaters adopt <em>rationalization</em> as a coping strategy to solve this discrepancy by means of four meat-eating justifications, known as the 4Ns: eating meat is natural, normal, necessary, and nice. However, how these meat-eating justifications vary among consumers and to what extent health-related aspects influence rationalization is unclear. This is the first study that identified specific red meat consumer segments according to the 4Ns, shedding light on the influence of health-related aspects. To achieve this, a two-step cluster analysis was performed on a stratified, representative sample of 1179 Italian red meat consumers. As a result, three red meat consumer segments (flexitarians, potential flexitarians, and meat lovers) were identified according to their meat-eating justifications. In addition, they were characterized by different health-related aspects as well as consumption habits, social norms, and sociodemographic characteristics. Our findings provide theoretical implications and practical knowledge to policymakers and non-profit organizations devising interventions to reduce excessive meat consumption and shift toward more sustainable diets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 105529"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Supreet Saluja , Talia Ciscato , Anjoli Mistry , Thomas Hummel , Charles Spence , Richard J. Stevenson
{"title":"The nature and origins of crossmodal associations to astringent solutions and basic tastes","authors":"Supreet Saluja , Talia Ciscato , Anjoli Mistry , Thomas Hummel , Charles Spence , Richard J. Stevenson","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>People match gustatory (basic tastes) and non-gustatory stimuli (e.g., colors, shapes, and textures) to each other in a reliable manner. Yet, whether other attributes of the experience of flavor, such as, for example, astringency also evidence such reliable crossmodal mappings is currently unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether individuals make reliable crossmodal mappings between astringent solutions and non-gustatory stimuli (e.g., colors, shapes, hand-felt roughness/smoothness), and to examine the basis of any mappings observed. Participants sampled 6 solutions – astringent and 5 basic tastants – at 2 concentrations each (low, high), and for each selected their best matching color, texture, and shape (in three separate counterbalanced blocks). After making their selections, the participants evaluated the valence of the solutions, their colors, textures, and shapes, as well as the qualities/intensities of the solutions, and their confidence in the matches they made. Participants reported the rationale for their color-, texture- and shape matches at the end of the study. Color, texture, and shape selections evidenced consensual mappings, and participants were generally confident in all matches to a comparable level. Whilst people typically reported that their color matches were driven by real world associations (e.g., yellow chosen for sour, as lemons are yellow and sour), followed by valence (liking; e.g., pink for sweet, as both are liked), texture and shape matches to solutions were more attributable to intensity (e.g., rougher textures, selected for rougher feeling [e.g., astringent] solutions) as well as valence. Implications for flavor binding and marketing are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 105518"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Explaining the adoption of sustainable diets and healthy diets among German consumers via an extended comprehensive action determination model","authors":"Daniela Moirano, Joerg Koenigstorfer","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105526","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105526","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study builds upon and extends the abridged comprehensive action determination model to predict self-reported eating behaviors among a sample of German consumers. It focuses on two related but conceptually distinct facets of eating behaviors: healthy eating and sustainable eating. Specifically, the role of health consciousness, attitude, perceived behavioral control, and social and personal norms for the adoption of healthy diets, as well as the role of environmental concern, perceived consumer effectiveness, awareness of need, self-efficacy, attitude, perceived behavioral control, and social and personal norms for the adoption of sustainable diets are assessed. A longitudinal design was applied and data from 620 German residents were collected, with the two data collections being 4 weeks apart. A path analysis showed that (i) attitude, social and personal norms relate positively to healthy eating; (ii) social and personal norms but not attitude relate positively to sustainable eating; and (iii) perceived behavioral control is unrelated to both healthy and sustainable eating. The variables explain 35 % of the variance in healthy eating and 27 % of the variance in sustainable eating. This study highlights that respective beliefs and norms predict both facets of eating behaviors. These predictors can be influenced by public policy campaigns, media, and communications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 105526"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143783822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Persuasion strategies of convenience food labels: Integrating typeface design and brand certification through the Lens of a dual processing model","authors":"Zibo Xu , Yue Luo , Changcong Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105524","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105524","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The exponential growth of the market for convenience foods has added facilitation to many people's lives; however, consumers continue to hold mixed views regarding the quality and safety of such foods. Marketers should explore persuasive strategies to counter these negative perceptions and encourage the consumption of convenience foods. This study conducted two online experiments from the perspective of visual persuasion and design to examine the effects of typeface and the inclusion of brand certification in label designs on consumers' purchase intentions, guided by the dual processing model. The findings indicate that handwritten labels are more effective than machine-written labels are in enhancing consumers' purchase intentions of convenience foods. These enhanced purchase intentions are related to stronger perceptions of a human presence and confidence in the product when handwritten typeface is used. In addition, a moderated serial mediation analysis revealed that brand certification labels, which serve as a traceable source of product quality and credibility, positively influence consumers' perceptions of human presence, further boosting consumers' confidence in a product and their purchase intention. The positive effect of handwritten typeface is particularly pronounced when a label does not include a brand certification, and the presence of such a certification tends to weaken the effect of typeface. These findings clarify the application of the dual processing model and offer theoretical insights and practical guidance for packaging design and marketing strategies for convenience foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":322,"journal":{"name":"Food Quality and Preference","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 105524"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}