Effect of nutritional information and health claims related to cashew nut and soya milk beverages on consumers’ acceptance and perception

Abstract

Purpose The number of researches that evaluate how behavioural and personality issues affect consumers’ acceptance and perception of food is increasing. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of nutritional information and health claims related to soya and cashew nut beverages over consumers’ acceptance and perception regarding nutritional value and healthiness and to verify whether behavioural and personality issues affect such evaluation. Design/methodology/approach The samples were evaluated in two phases, with (blind phase) and without information (informed phase) about their composition, nutritional characteristics and functional claims related to some of their ingredients. The sensory evaluation data were analysed by means of the analysis of variance for repeated measures, applying 2 (information) × 2 (beverage) and generalised linear model to evaluate the effect of information over the acceptance averages, as well as over the perception of healthy food and nutritional value. Findings Information on composition, nutritional characteristics and functional claims related to the cashew nut and soya beverages did not influence flavour acceptance (p-value = 0.250) and overall impression (p-value = 0.316), but had a positive impact on consumers’ perception regarding healthiness (p-value < 0.001) and nutritious value (p-value < 0.001) of both beverages, the cashew nut beverage being perceived as more nutritious and healthier than the soya beverage. Consumers’ different characteristics with respect to their interest in healthy eating (high and low) and food neophobia (neophiliacs and neophobics) did not have any influence on the beverages’ acceptance, as well as on the perception of healthy food and nutritious value. Originality/value This work compares consumers’ acceptance and perception regarding nutritional value and healthiness with relation a totally unique product in the Brazilian market, and in the world, a new functional beverage made from cashew nuts, with a soya-milk beverage. Until this moment, there are no studies comparing consumer acceptance and perception of products based on hydrosoluble extract-base added with fruit juice which evaluate the influence of behavioural and personality characteristics of consumers in their perception and acceptance towards these products.

Factors that Influence the Perceived Healthiness of Food—Review

“…The health motivation of the consumer also influences the assessment of the product; Machín et al [ 26 ] maintain that it plays a pivotal role in the way front of package information is used. In contrast, according to the results of Rebouças et al [ 47 ], consumer interest in healthy nutrition does not influence the acceptance and perceived healthiness and nutritional value of the product they examined (“cashew nut beverage”).…”

“…Table 1 clearly shows that numerous factors influence consumers when assessing the healthiness of a product. In our literature analysis, we categorized these factors as follows: Communicated information [ 26 , 27 , 34 , 35 , 37 , 47 , 60 , 62 , 65 , 73 , 74 , 77 ]; The shape and colour of the product packaging [ 23 , 25 , 28 , 32 , 33 , 43 , 61 , 66 , 70 , 71 ]; The ingredients of the product [ 24 , 29 , 39 , 40 , 49 , 57 , 64 , 76 ]; Product category [ 54 , 61 , 69 , 70 , 75 , 78 ]; Organic origin of the product [ 5 , 31 , 42 , 45 , 46 , 48 , 51 , 55 , 68 ]...…”

“…When companies provide consumers with information related to nutritional value or to health effects in some way on the product packaging, it has a positive effect on perceived healthiness [ 26 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 47 ]. At the same time, care must be taken that consumers comprehend this information correctly, so that they do not evoke undesired associations [ 62 ], and consumer scepticism related to health claims must also be taken into account [ 74 ], as in this case information may even have a negative effect on assessing healthiness.…”

Evaluation of the effect of label attributes over the purchase intention of a cashew nut functional beverage using conjoint analysis

“…The influence of socio-demographic factors on the acceptance and process of choosing and buying food has been largely analyzed (Bayarri et al., 2010); however, the assessment of these factors alone is not sufficient for a full interpretation of the results. Increasingly, research has been directed to the assessment of how issues related to behavior and personality have influenced consumers’ perception and attitude concerning various kinds of food as well as information related to them (Liem et al., 2012; Rebouças et al., 2017). The identification and segmentation of consumers around their attitude toward food and nutrition makes it possible to direct different kinds of food to individuals with different characteristics.…”