TY - JOUR
T1 - When organic products are tasty
T2 - Taste inferences from an Organic = Healthy Association
AU - Nadricka, Kristina
AU - Millet, Kobe
AU - Verlegh, Peeter W.J.
PY - 2020/7
Y1 - 2020/7
N2 - Previous research has consistently demonstrated that organic food is typically seen as healthier. The aim of the present study is to investigate how these health inferences influence taste perceptions of organic food. In Study 1, we show that a neutral food product with an organic label is perceived as more healthy than the same product without such a label. This higher level of perceived healthiness is paired with an improved perceived taste. In Study 2 and 3, we obtain evidence in Dutch and US samples that an organic label increases perceived taste and attractiveness of healthy (but not unhealthy) food. Whereas previous studies have shown general health halo effects of organic labels, this perspective cannot explain the specific pattern of our results, which speaks towards an ‘organic = healthy = tasty’ intuition.
AB - Previous research has consistently demonstrated that organic food is typically seen as healthier. The aim of the present study is to investigate how these health inferences influence taste perceptions of organic food. In Study 1, we show that a neutral food product with an organic label is perceived as more healthy than the same product without such a label. This higher level of perceived healthiness is paired with an improved perceived taste. In Study 2 and 3, we obtain evidence in Dutch and US samples that an organic label increases perceived taste and attractiveness of healthy (but not unhealthy) food. Whereas previous studies have shown general health halo effects of organic labels, this perspective cannot explain the specific pattern of our results, which speaks towards an ‘organic = healthy = tasty’ intuition.
KW - Healthiness
KW - Organic food
KW - Organic labeling
KW - Taste
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85079152210&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.103896
DO - 10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.103896
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85079152210
SN - 0950-3293
VL - 83
SP - 1
EP - 10
JO - Food Quality and Preference
JF - Food Quality and Preference
M1 - 103896
ER -