Preferences of young German adults for naturally sweetened snacks

: a comparison between corporate brands and influencer brands

Abstract

Over recent years, consumers' eating behaviors have shifted from main meals to more frequent snacking, raising concerns due to high-energy-density snacks rich in sugar, salt, and fat, potentially contributing to obesity. As concerns about processed foods grow, demand for healthier snacks with less processing and natural ingredients rises. This shift reflects a desire for transparency in dietary choices, evidenced by ingredient lists and health claims on packaging. This study aims to understand the impact of extrinsic and intrinsic attributes, namely type of sugar, cocoa content, presence of naturally sweetened claim, and price, on young German adults' preferences for dark chocolate. Further, it investigated whether these preferences change based on whether the product is from a corporate or influencer brand, a brand launched by a social media influencer. An online survey with 168 participants was conducted, incorporating an information treatment and a conjoint analysis task. Findings show that dark chocolate from corporate brands is preferred over influencer brands, likely due to higher familiarity, loyalty, and trust. Coconut sugar was strongly preferred over regular sugar, while the effect of a naturally sweetened claim was non-significant, indicating a preference for factual nutrition information over health claims. Consumer preferences did not differ significantly between the corporate and influencer brand treatment. The results underscore the importance of transparent and informative marketing strategies focusing on ingredients rather than health claims. Influencers launching their brands must build brand awareness, loyalty, and trust among young German adults by providing factual information about their products.

Date of Award	24 Jun 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ana Isabel de Almeida Costa (Supervisor)