Branding, Ingredients and Nutrition Information: Consumer Liking of a Healthier Snack

Abstract

Taste appeal, sustainable ingredients and valid health claims are challenges for successful marketing of healthier food products. This study was designed to compare the effects of branding, ingredients and nutrition information on consumer liking towards a prototype of the Nothing Else healthier snack bar with the top three brands of New Zealand snack bars, and another product with a good nutrient profiling score. Sixty-four consumers were recruited to evaluate the five snack bars. Participants initially blind-rated on visual analogue scales their liking scores in relation to colour, taste, flavour, texture and overall liking. Packaging for the products was then presented alongside each of the five products and participants rated their liking scores for a second time. Participants also ranked the five products from 1 to 5 for healthiness, taste, naturalness, and purchase intent if prices were the same. In both blind and informed tests, the Nothing Else bar was the least liked snack bar among all the tested samples. However, after the packaging for the products was presented, overall liking of the Nothing Else bar increased by 14% (p = 0.023), while overall liking for the four commercial products were unchanged. While the most popular commercial bar was ranked the highest for taste and purchase intent, the Nothing Else bar was ranked the highest for the healthiness and naturalness. Our findings confirmed that the branding and health related nutrition information could improve consumer liking and brand perception particularly if backed by marketing.

Concept to Sale of a Healthier Snack Bar

“…Furthermore, this proof-of-principle was on a very small scale, over a short time, and within a relatively closed environment so may not be generalizable to the larger commercial market. It does, however, show that a bar, initially perceived as less palatable [10] can be sold successfully. With a move to clean labels [22] , whole foods and consumer and social demand for a healthier food supply it is important that product development of this type does not rely only on a perception of what the consumer wants or initial responses but that the market is tested in real time.…”

“…Taste and cost are the two main elements that drive choice [9] . However, overall liking and brand perception of a healthier food product was improved when consumers were informed about the branding and health related nutrition information compared with the blind state [10] . In addition reformulation and formulation of foods to improve the nutrient density profile determines if health related claims may be made [11] , but may also influence purchase [12] .…”

Caracterização E Avaliação Sensorial De Barra De Cereal Com Extrato De Antocianinas Da Fruta Da Palmeira Jussara (Euterpe Edulis) / Characterization and Sensorial Evaluation of Cereal Bar With Anthocyanins Extract From the Fruit of Palmeira Jussara (Euterpe Edulis)

“…A determinação da aceitação pelo consumidor é uma parte crucial em um processo de desenvolvimento e melhoria de produtos sendo fundamental a realização de análises sensoriais (Santos et al, 2011;Yan et al, 2015 Gutkosk et al, 2007).…”

Consumer’s research for new functional bakery product development

“…The consumers' preference and choice are largely based on overall product perception and related to the product sensory quality, brand name and image, packaging and labelled data, price and promotion (Gielens and Steenkamp, 2007;Bialkova and van Trijp, 2011;Bialkova et al, 2013;Ares et al, 2014). Manufacturers must identify food products sensory and nutritive characteristics that are important and attractive for consumers, transform them into real new product which could ensure consumers attention and desire to eat (Costa and Jongen, 2006;Gielens and Steenkamp, 2007;Yan et al, 2015). The consumers' demands for healthy foods impact on increasing production of various functional food products (Chen, 2011;Hodgkins et al, 2012;Traill et al, 2014).…”