Chocolate culture: Preferences, emotional implications and awareness of Italian consumers

Can Chocolate Be Classified as an Ultra-Processed Food? A Short Review on Processing and Health Aspects to Help Answer This Question

Chocolate is a confectionery product whose consumption has increased, particularly dark chocolate. Chocolate is produced with varying amounts of cocoa liquor (CL), cocoa butter (CB) and cocoa powder (CP). The main chocolate types are dark, milk and white. Processing steps for chocolate production are described, and nutritional compositions examined for benefits and risks to health. Chocolate processing comprises steps at farm level, initial industrial processing for production of CL, CB and CP (common for all chocolate types) and mixing with other ingredients (like milk and sugar differing according to chocolate type) for industrial chocolate processing. All chocolate types present similar processing levels, and none involve chemical processing. Nutritional profiles of chocolate products differ according to composition, e.g., dark chocolate contains more CL, and so a higher antioxidant capacity. Chocolate is an energy-dense food rich in bioactive compounds (polyphenols, alkaloids, amino acids). Studies have demonstrated benefits of moderate consumption in reducing cardiovascular risk and oxidative and inflammatory burden, improving cognitive functions, maintaining diversity in gut microbiota, among others. In our view, chocolate should not be classified as an ultra-processed food because of simple processing steps, limited ingredients, and being an important part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation.

The connection between manufacturer and private label brands and brand loyalty in chocolate bar buying decisions - A hybrid choice approach

With the increase in health awareness more and more attention is paid to how manufacturers can respond to ever-changing consumer needs. This is especially true for the market of popular consumer goods such as chocolate. In order to understand Hungarian consumers' preferences in chocolate bars, we used the stated choice experiment method in our research. The attributes of our experiment included brand (manufacturer and private label), type (milk, dark, and white), a health claim (sugar free), as well as price, and our model estimations were done using the multinomial logit specification. In order to increase the explained rate of utility perceived by respondents, we also estimated a hybrid model containing a latent variable (representing consumers' brand loyalty). Our results reveal that the respondents showed a clear preference for manufacturer brands compared to private label brands. Regarding the type of chocolate, we found that milk chocolate received the most positive evaluation, which was followed by dark and white chocolate, respectively; we also demonstrated that sugar free products have a negative rating. In line with our preliminary expectations, a rise in the price of the product has a negative impact on utility as perceived by consumers. Brand loyalty is most characteristic of young and highly educated respondents, and a rise in brand loyalty lead to an increase in the preference towards manufacturer brand products compared to private label brand products.

The Impact of Mood, Familiarity, Acceptability, Sensory Characteristics and Attitude on Consumers' Emotional Responses to Chocolates

Studies on emotions linked to sensory characteristics to understand consumers’ choice behaviour have grown in number rapidly. Internal consumer behaviour variables, namely mood, familiarity, acceptability, and attitude (MFAA), have been found to influence emotional response. The aim of this paper was to determine the impact of MFAA on consumers’ emotional responses towards chocolate as well as the effect of the sensory characteristics of chocolate on consumers’ emotional responses. Upon ethical approval, three chocolates were selected by a trained sensory panel based on 14 sensory attributes regarded relevant. Screened respondents (n = 149) completed an online survey based on the tasting of the chocolates by means of a home-use test (HUT). The questionnaire captured consumers’ mood (Quick mood scale), familiarity (QFFQ), acceptability (FACT), the sensory characteristics of the chocolate samples and emotional response (EsSense25 Profile), and lastly attitude (ACQ). Descriptive and inferential statistics were examined to answer the hypotheses of the study. The findings indicate that emotions are related to the bitter sensory attributes of chocolate and that this emotional response is influenced by MFAA variables, supporting the known fact that consumer behaviour is complex and multi-dimensional. Internal consumer behaviour variables play an important role in the emotions experienced during the consumption of chocolate. Investigating the relative importance of consumer behaviour components in sensory studies could allow for the design of food products such as chocolates based on a more “holistic” view of the consumer.