Attitude towards resveratrol as a healthy botanical ingredient: The role of naturalness of product and message

Abstract

Medicinal research is exploring an increasing number of botanical substances with potentially favorable health effects, amongst others resveratrol. For marketing botanicals in consumer products, it needs to be determined which food products consumers prefer as a carrier and what kind of communication they react most favorably to. An online survey and experiment with 578 Danish respondents analyzed attitude towards a resveratrol product, varying carrier type and health information. Attitudes were more favorable for food categories perceived as natural (versus processed). Categories perceived as serving functional (versus hedonic) needs were significantly more favorably received when health information was phrased as ‘natural’. Respondents expressing concerns about agricultural and food technology were more likely to state less positive attitude towards the product when the information was phrased as ‘scientific’. When presented with a mock-up media report contradicting the naturally framed health information, attitude towards the product decreased more for categories perceived as natural. The same was observed for categories perceived as serving hedonic needs, but only if these had been presented with scientifically phrased health information. The results underline the crucial importance of perceived naturalness of product and information to consumer’s acceptance, and the decisive role of consumer’s beliefs. Food producers need to explain naturalness in marketing new health-related substances, while policy makers must ensure legislation allows and secures truthful and correct communication on naturalness.