Effect of front-of-package nutrition labelling

: a conjoint analysis of consumer preferences for high-protein yogurts

Abstract

This thesis studies the impact of front-of-pack nutrition labelling on young adult consumers' preference for high-protein yogurts. Against the background of increasingly health-oriented consumer choices, it examines the explicit nutrition labelling tactics of food brands in order to understand their effects on product choices in the European market. The relative importance of attributes as protein content, flavor, price, and specific nutrition claims made on the front-of- packaging in determining product preferences was investigated in an online survey administered to a sample of 110 young European adults entailing a conjoint analysis task. Results show that preferences were more affected by front-of-pack factual information on the protein content of yogurts than by “high on protein” or “natural protein” allegations. This indicates that young European adults may attribute more value to nutrition labelling than marketing claims. Findings further emphasized the role of price sensitivity, thereby suggesting that notwithstanding regard for health benefits, budgetary considerations still determine product preferences to a large extent. This study provides useful insights for manufacturing and marketing companies of yogurts by stating the prospects of transparent and informative labelling strategies which are in close association with health awareness amongst young adults. In addition, it contributes to the body of knowledge on consumer evaluation of functional foods and provides insights into the likely success of nutrition information provision tactics in influencing consumer food preferences.

Date of Award	22 Jan 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ana Isabel de Almeida Costa (Supervisor)