From Waste to Taste: How “Ugly” Labels Can Increase Purchase of Unattractive Produce

Abstract

Food producers and retailers throw away large amounts of perfectly edible produce that fail to meet beauty standards, contributing to the environmental issue of food waste. The authors examine why consumers discard aesthetically unattractive produce, and test a low-cost, easy-to-implement solution: emphasizing the produce’s aesthetic flaw through ‘ugly’ labeling (e.g., labeling cucumbers with cosmetic defects “Ugly Cucumbers” on store displays or advertising). Seven experiments, including two conducted in the field, demonstrate that ‘ugly’ labeling corrects for consumers’ biased expectations regarding key attributes of unattractive produce—particularly tastiness—and thus increases purchase likelihood. ‘Ugly’ labeling is most effective when associated with moderate (rather than steep) price discounts. Against managers’ intuition, it is also more effective than alternative labeling that does not exclusively point out the aesthetic flaw, such as ‘imperfect’ labeling. This research provides clear managerial recommendations on the labeling and the pricing of unattractive produce while addressing the issue of food waste.

Commentary: Food and Food Waste: Spinning a Two-Sided Coin

“…Individual consumers' decisions about what to consume or discard affect both their well-being and that of the planet-but so too do the decisions of other actors within the food marketing system. Recent research aimed at increasing purchases of "ugly" produce by consumers illustrates the importance of understanding the perspective of these other actors; both Grewal et al (2019) and Mookerjee, Cornil, and Hoegg (2021) show that marketing managers fail to intuit the effectiveness of specific successful interventions (e.g., labeling ugly produce as "ugly"). As these examples attest, future research is needed to better understand and improve the food marketing system in order to enhance consumer well-being and minimize food waste.…”

Plant-Based Meat Alternatives: Motivational Adoption Barriers and Solutions

“…Labels can be used to highlight aspects of PBMA that grab consumers' attention and make them reconsider their typical choices. For example, recent consumer research has shown that unattractive produce can be sold more effectively, if it contained "ugly" labels [120]. Notably, this is a different labeling strategy than the more common claims that focus on scientifically verifiable characteristics (e.g., "low fat" or "high vitamins") or the food's natural preservation (e.g., "no additives" or "unprocessed") [52].…”

Energy-Environmental Impact Assessment of Greenhouse Grown Tomato: A Case Study in Almeria (Spain)

“…Odd-shaped tomatoes, typically eliminated from the distribution chain, can re-enter it with adequate marketing and awareness raising. Several initiatives exist in this respect, such as the Fruta Feia (Ugly Fruit) project in Portugal [44] or the "ugly cucumbers" labeling system performed in Canada [45]. It should be borne in mind that the losses for cosmetic reasons, as has been observed both in Europe as in the UK alone, ranges between 17% and 25% [46].…”