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Chung A, Hatzikiriakidis K, Martino F, Skouteris H. Characterising Parent-Appeal Marketing on Foods for Children: A Scoping Review. Curr Nutr Rep 2024; 13:393-398. [PMID: 38935250 PMCID: PMC11327212 DOI: 10.1007/s13668-024-00559-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This scoping review examines current evidence on parent-appeal marketing on the front-of-pack of food products for children and the impacts on parents' perceptions, intentions, and behaviours. RECENT FINDINGS Thirteen relevant studies were identified. Marketing features on packages of foods for children that appealed to parents include health claims, nutrition claims, non-nutrient claims such as 'natural', healthy-looking product images, images of healthy ingredients, and celebrity endorsements. At the same time, parents were wary of front-of-pack marketing and find it confusing, deceptive, and misleading. Child-appeal marketing features such as cartoon characters and bright colours gave parents the perception that products were unhealthy. Overall, this scoping review offers important insights into the types of front-of-pack marketing that appeal to parents and offers an inventory of parent-appeal marketing features. These findings support the design and implementation of policies that aim to reduce commercial influences on children's diets through stronger regulation of marketing of foods for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Chung
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Kostas Hatzikiriakidis
- Health and Social Care Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Florentine Martino
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Helen Skouteris
- Health and Social Care Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Warwick Business School, Warwick University, Coventry, United Kingdom
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Watson WL, Torkel S, Kat M, Hughes C. How healthy are Australian lunch box snacks with child-directed marketing? Health Promot J Austr 2024; 35:220-224. [PMID: 36941803 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED The diets of Australian children, including their lunch boxes have a disproportionate amount of discretionary foods. Packaged snacks have marketing directed to both children and parents. METHODS Packaged school lunch box snacks were identified on supermarket websites. Nutrition information and child-directed and parent-directed marketing on the package were analysed. The "healthiness" of products was analysed using the Health Star Rating (HSR) (presently on packaging in Australia), two criteria designed for assessing food suitable for marketing to children (the Australian Health Council and the World Health Organization Western Pacific region) and Chilean criteria (used for broad food regulation). RESULTS The average HSR of the 135 products was 2.2% and 79% had a HSR <3.5. About 39% of products had child-directed marketing. Child-directed marketing would be removed from 89% sweet snacks, and 91% savoury snacks if products with a HSR <3.5 were not allowed to carry that marketing. This is less than the proportion not allowed using criteria from Chile (100%), World Health Organization Western Pacific Region (99%) and the Australian Health Council (93%). CONCLUSIONS A policy that disallows marketing tactics on unhealthy food based on any of the criteria studied would remove most of both child-directed and parent-directed marketing on packaged lunch box snacks. SO WHAT?: Removing child-directed marketing from unhealthy products would help parents when shopping and contribute to addressing the high proportion of discretionary foods eaten by children at school. Child-directed marketing on packaging should be a part of comprehensive regulation to protect children from the marketing of unhealthy foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy L Watson
- Cancer Prevention and Advocacy Division, Cancer Council NSW, 153 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sophia Torkel
- Nutrition and Dietetics Group, School of Life and Environmental Science, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Martha Kat
- Nutrition and Dietetics Group, School of Life and Environmental Science, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Clare Hughes
- Cancer Prevention and Advocacy Division, Cancer Council NSW, 153 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo, New South Wales, Australia
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Uhlmann K, Ross H, Buckley L, Lin BB. Food in my life: How Australian adolescents perceive and experience their foodscape. Appetite 2023; 190:107034. [PMID: 37690618 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Food choice has long been recognized as an interaction between psychological, social, cultural, economic, and biological forces through life course events and experiences. Adolescence is a particularly sensitive life stage during which personal and external environments influence food decisions and attitudes that can have long-term implications. Young people represent future households, yet little is understood about their perspectives on, and experiences of, their foodscape. To address this, a photovoice study with thirty-two students was undertaken at three state high schools with differing foodscapes in South East Queensland (Australia). Adolescent perspectives on foodscapes highlighted the food in front of them (either common or favourite foods), food routines, their emotional relationship with food, and the important role that family has in shaping their relationship with food (in particular mothers). Adolescents demonstrated an astute awareness of healthy/good and unhealthy/bad foods in relation to ingredients, ways of eating and different types of foods. Yet they expressed noticeable confusion on this matter, referring to some foods as "healthy-ish", or describing a "balanced" diet as consuming something healthy followed by something unhealthy. We found that adolescents are inundated by discretionary foods on a daily basis, however, are not particularly cognisant of them. These findings have direct implications for preventative health messages targeting adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kora Uhlmann
- School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Hartley Teakle Building, St Lucia QLD 4067, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, 266 Herston Rd, Herston QLD 4006, Australia.
| | - Helen Ross
- School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Hartley Teakle Building, St Lucia QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Lisa Buckley
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, 266 Herston Rd, Herston QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Brenda B Lin
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Environment GPO Box 2583, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia
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Zafar MZ, Shi X, Yang H, Abbas J, Chen J. The Impact of Interpretive Packaged Food Labels on Consumer Purchase Intention: The Comparative Analysis of Efficacy and Inefficiency of Food Labels. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192215098. [PMID: 36429827 PMCID: PMC9690506 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The objectives of this study are twofold. Firstly, the current study elucidates the impact and efficacy of food labels in developing consumers' attitudes and intentions towards the selection of nutritional food. Secondly, the inefficacy of labels in developing consumers' attitudes and intentions towards healthy packaged food selection is demonstrated. The supportive theories of the current model are those of reasoned action and protection motivation. The data of 797 respondents have been collected from four major grocery stores in Pakistan. The structural equation model has been employed for the analysis of data. The results indicate that the efficacy of food labels has a positive significant effect on attitudes towards familiar and unfamiliar foods. In contrast to this, inefficacy in labelling has shown a positive significant effect on familiar foods but is insignificant for unfamiliar foods. The user-friendly food labels significantly affect unfamiliar foods in terms promoting consumer attitudes. Reciprocally, the inefficacy of labels creates a hindrance to the reading of unfamiliar labels while purchasing food items. The study findings reveal the fact that food label information and its format influences consumer attitudes and intentions at the point of purchase.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiangjiao Shi
- Business School, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
- Institute of Business Administration, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Hailan Yang
- Business School, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
| | - Jaffar Abbas
- School of Media and Communication & Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiakui Chen
- School of Economics and Management (Cooperative College), Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
- Correspondence:
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I Believe It Is Healthy-Impact of Extrinsic Product Attributes in Demonstrating Healthiness of Functional Food Products. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13103518. [PMID: 34684519 PMCID: PMC8570330 DOI: 10.3390/nu13103518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the high proportion of impulse purchases and the short time devoted to purchase decisions, packaging and other extrinsic attributes are becoming increasingly important in demonstrating the health benefits of a functional food item to consumers as plausibly as possible. Our research aims at identifying the role of extrinsic features (claims related to ingredients and health claims, organic or domestic origin, as well as the shape and color of packaging), gathered in the course of in-depth literature analysis, in the case of a functional smoothie. Our online consumer questionnaire was completed by 633 respondents, and the answers were assessed by choice based conjoint analysis. Our results show that each examined attribute plays a role in the assessment of health effects. The color blue has the biggest impact on making the consumer believe in the health benefits of the product. This is followed by the indication of organic origin, then the statement emphasizing the natural quality of the ingredients. The assessment of the specific extrinsic attributes is affected by consumers’ general health interest level, their involvement with food items, and their various demographic features.
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Exploring Feeding Practices and Food Literacy in Parents with Young Children from Disadvantaged Areas. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18041496. [PMID: 33557440 PMCID: PMC7915516 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Early childhood provides an opportunity to optimize growth and development and parents play a fundamental role in forming healthy eating habits in their children. A healthy diet improves quality of life and wellbeing and reduces the risk of chronic disease. The aim of this research was to explore parents' experiences of feeding 0-5-year-old children and food literacy behaviors. This qualitative study employed a general inductive inquiry approach. Participants were recruited through community-based parenting organizations in disadvantaged areas. Eight focus groups were conducted with 67 parents (92.5% female) living in socially disadvantaged areas within metropolitan Perth of Western Australia. Ten themes emerged from the preliminary analysis and were aligned with domains of relatedness, autonomy, and competence within the self-determination theory. Themes included relatedness (1) feeding is emotional, (2) variations in routine and feeding structures, (3) external influences, autonomy (4) power struggles, (5) it must be quick and easy, (6) lack of strategies for feeding autonomy, competency (7) whatever works, (8) healthy is important but for some unattainable, (9) improvements in food literacy skills, and (10) conflicting information overload. This research informed the development of a food literacy program for parents. Parents faced many challenges when trying to provide healthy food. This research has shown parents would benefit from support to achieve healthy eating practices for their families.
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The Value of Consistency: Portfolio Labeling Strategies and Impact on Winery Brand Equity. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13031400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The reported research examines the impact of product portfolio labeling strategies on brand reputation and equity. A netnographic approach allowed to observe winery portfolio labeling approaches and create a typology of winery labeling strategies. Expert evaluation served to assess the dependent variable brand equity by deploying a regression analysis. For the observed wine industry, being part of the food industry, creating consistent and recognizable brands has a direct relevance for reducing (sustainability-related) food information overload and thereby building sustainable brand equity. The results uncover the relative importance of each of the six identified labeling strategies as well as their impact on reputation and brand equity creation. The results point to the need to establish a consistent, strategically founded product communication. Such an approach, with a positive effect on reputation building can serve to build sustainable brand equity. “Stuck in the middle”-type strategies apparently diminish winery brand equity exploitation. The findings contribute to the knowledge on food labels in product communication strategies and their impact on organizational brand equity, thereby having high relevance for the implementation of environmental certification initiatives in an organizational context. The article deploys a novel research approach in an under-researched area to provide new insights for further research as well as implications for practice.
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Food Marketing as a Special Ingredient in Consumer Choices: The Main Insights from Existing Literature. Foods 2020; 9:foods9111651. [PMID: 33198136 PMCID: PMC7698179 DOI: 10.3390/foods9111651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The choices and preferences of food consumers are influenced by several factors, from those related to the socioeconomic, cultural, and health dimensions to marketing strategies. In fact, marketing is a determinant ingredient in the choices related to food consumption. Nonetheless, for an effective implementation of any marketing approach, the brands play a crucial role. Creating new brands in the food sector is not always easy, considering the relevant amount of these goods produced within the agricultural sector and in small food industries. The small dimension of the production units in these sectors hinders both brand creation and respective branding. In this context, it would seem important to analyse the relationships between food marketing and consumer choice, highlighting the role of brands in these frameworks. For this purpose, a literature review was carried out considering 147 documents from Scopus database for the topics of search “food marketing” and “choices” (search performed on 16 October 2020). As main insights, it is worth highlighting that the main issues addressed by the literature, concerning food marketing and consumer choices, are the following: economic theory; label and packaging; marketing strategies; agriculture and food industry; market segments; social dimensions; brand and branding. In turn, food marketing heavily conditions consumer choices; however, these related instruments are better manipulated by larger companies. In addition, this review highlights that bigger companies have dominant positions in these markets which are not always beneficial to the consumers’ objectives.
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