Milking the label: The impact of category labels on consumer liking and category fit of non-dairy milks

Abstract

The influence of labels on expectation is well documented, but the effect of category labels on consumer perception is not well understood. The fast pace of emerging product categories highlights the importance of ensuring that category labels meet consumer expectations. To examine the impact of category expectations on liking, 384 consumers were assigned one of four conditions where they were told they were drinking either milk (broad condition), plant-based milk (intermediate condition), almond milk (specific condition), or given no information (control group). All groups were given six almond milks and asked to rate their liking on a 9-point hedonic scale. Consumers in the broad, intermediate, and specific conditions were also asked to rate category fit on a 9-point Likert scale. Category label had a significant impact on overall liking, with the specific condition having significantly higher liking than the control, as well as a significantly higher liking than the intermediate and control conditions. External preference mapping showed that the sensory drivers of liking were constant across the four conditions, but the sensory drivers of category fit changed depending on which category condition participants were part of. In the broad condition, sweetness and vanilla flavour contributed to category fit. Creaminess was more important for the intermediate condition, while nutty and roasted flavours determined category fit for the specific condition. Our results suggest that increased specificity in category labels can increase product liking, underscoring the importance of sensory evaluation for understanding the link between category labels and consumer perception.