A Preliminary Investigation of the Effect of Ethical Labeling and Moral Self-Image on the Expected and Perceived Flavor and Aroma of Beer

George Van Doorn,Justin Timora,Shaun Watson,Chris Moore,Rose Ferguson,Dylan Berends

doi:10.3390/beverages7020042

Abstract

Ethical labelling has been shown to influence taste/flavour perception. Across two experiments, the present study examined how ethical labelling and moral self-image influenced both the expected (Experiment One) and perceived (Experiment Two) taste/flavour characteristics of beer. In Experiment One, 170 participants read either a ‘moral’ or ‘control’ label describing a brewery, after which they were presented with an image of a beer. Participants then completed a Beer Taste Perception Questionnaire and the Moral Self-Image Scale. In Experiment Two, 59 participants were exposed to either the moral or control label before tasting a beer and completing the same questionnaires from Experiment One. The results of Experiment One indicated that label type moderated the relationship between moral self-image and the intensity ratings of the beer. Specifically, in the presence of a control label, the expected intensity of the beer’s flavour increased as moral self-image increased. Experiment Two found no evidence that the moral label influenced the perceived taste of the beer. However, the results showed that as moral self-image became more positive the perceived refreshingness of the beer increased. This study provides novel evidence of the potential relationship between an individual’s moral self-image and the expected and perceived taste/flavour characteristics of beer.

Highlights

In Australia, craft beer production has grown from a small industry comprised predominantly of home-brew enthusiasts to a large industry worth approximately AUD 370 million
Related research has found that ethicallylabelled products are perceived by participants as healthier than identical, non-labelled products [7,23,24,27,28]. These findings suggest that product-extrinsic ‘ethical’ information can influence people’s perception of, and expectations relating to, the product itself
It was hypothesised that ethical labelling would influence the expected and perceived taste, flavour, and aroma attributes of beer

Summary

Introduction

In Australia, craft beer production has grown from a small industry comprised predominantly of home-brew enthusiasts to a large industry worth approximately AUD 370 million (approximately 5% of the AUD 6.5 billion total annual beer sales in Australia [1]). Craft brewers, who spend considerable time in product development and have limited capital to buffer against product failure, are concerned with productintrinsic and product-extrinsic features that influence people’s expectations and perception of their products. It is worth keeping in mind here that price (e.g., value for money) is an important factor in determining consumer behaviour [3], it is not the only factor influencing purchasing decisions. This preliminary study is the product of a discussion between the authors and the Little Gippsland Brewing Company, who donate 100% of their profits to the local community

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion