Consumer effects of front-of-package nutrition labeling: an interdisciplinary meta-analysis

Iina Ikonen*, Francesca Sotgiu, Aylin Aydinli, Peeter W.J. Verlegh

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalReview articleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

As consumers continue to struggle with issues related to unhealthy consumption, the goal of front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels is to provide nutrition information in more understandable formats. The marketplace is filled with different FOP labels, but their true effects remain unclear, as does which label works best to change perceptions and behaviors. We address these issues through an interdisciplinary meta-analysis, generalizing the findings of 114 articles on the impact of FOP labels on outcomes such as consumers’ ability to identify healthier options, product perceptions, purchase behavior, and consumption. The results show that, although FOP labels help consumers to identify healthier products, their ability to nudge consumers toward healthier choices is more limited. Importantly, FOP labels may lead to halo effects, positively influencing not only virtue but also vice products, e.g., interpretive nutrient-specific labels improve health perceptions of both vice and virtue products, yet they influence only the purchase intention of virtues.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)360-383
Number of pages24
JournalJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science
Volume48
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2020

Keywords

  • Food marketing
  • Front-of-package labeling
  • Packaging
  • Public health

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