Food Brands Research Articles

Investigating the healthiness of food products on promotion: market brands and own brands

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the proportionality of market brand (MB) foods versus supermarket own brand (OB) foods sold on promotion and to compare their healthiness.Design/methodology/approachAn existing dataset containing nutritional information about a variety of foods on promotion (n = 6,776) from 48 stores across 8 retail chains in Northern Ireland (NI) was reanalysed. Product healthiness was measured using a score aligned to the Food Standards Agency's Front of Pack nutrient labelling system. MBs and OBs were considered as a whole and in their respective subsets–international/national and regional MBs, and premium, mid-market and value tiered OBs.FindingsResults found a balance in favour of health (52.4% amber/green versus 47.6% red) across retailers' promotions in NI. Further, OB products were often found to be superior to MBs with regards to overall healthfulness, and regional brands were found to be less healthy than international/national brands.Research limitations/implicationsFindings rationale further retail research to compare nutritionally OB and MB product types, and further consumer research regarding important attributes of OBs.Practical implicationsRetailers should communicate the comparative healthiness of their OBs in comparison to MB alternatives, in addition to communicating comparative price savings. There is opportunity for retailers to increase visibility of mid-market and value OB tiers, and for regional MBs to improve the nutritional profile of products in line with the consumer trend for health.Originality/valueThis study provides a contribution by using data on OBs and MBs on promotion, and by investigating the nutritional differences between different tiers of OB and MB products.

Exploring consumer loyalty towards brands of safe vegetables in Vietnam

PurposeExpanding the market share of safe food through a modern retail system has faced a lot of difficulties in Vietnam. Thus, a further understanding of consumer behaviour and loyalty towards such food is essential for food retailers. This study aims at exploring segments of consumer loyalty and its influential factors towards safe food brands in the country.Design/methodology/approachBased on a sample of 250 consumers buying safe food in Hanoi city in February 2019, two-step cluster and multinomial logistic regression analyses were applied.FindingsThe results show that four segments of brand loyalty were formed from the interaction between attitudinal and behavioural loyalty as the framework of Dick and Basu (1994), namely, true loyalty, spurious loyalty, latent loyalty and disloyalty. Notably, over 60% of the consumers were in latent loyalty and spurious loyalty, indicating variety-seeking behaviour, multi-brand loyalty or low recognition of the brand. Consumer satisfaction was the most vital motivating consumers to higher loyalty levels. Additionally, brand trust and brand familiarity played significant roles in developing true brand loyalty. An attractive selling store and friendly staff were also important in enhancing brand loyalty.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to elicit consumer loyalty and identify factors driving the loyalty towards brands of safe food in a developing country like Vietnam.

Use of persuasive strategies in food advertising on television and on social media in Brazil

We analyzed the use of persuasive advertising strategies by 18 food brands on TV and Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube in Brazil in April 2018. Advertising strategies were investigated from three groups: power of advertising strategies (n = 10) (e.g., use of licensed character, celebrities, awards, etc), use of the prize offering (n = 9) (e.g., pay 2 take 3 or more, gifts or collectable, limited edition, etc), and use of brand benefit claims (n = 8) (e.g., messages that exalt sensory-based characteristics such as flavor, taste, aroma and recommend how to use/consume the product, etc). Almost 90% of the brands were ultra-processed foods producers and they carried 52 ads on TV and 194 posts on social media platforms. A higher frequency of the strategy ‘cartoon/company owned character’ was found on TV ads (19.2%; p < 0.0001) in comparison to social media platforms (0% on the three platforms) while the presence of ‘famous sportsperson/team’ prevailed on YouTube (41.4%) in comparison to TV (19.2%), Facebook (10.9%) and Instagram (9.1%), p < 0.0001. On YouTube ads, the claims ‘sensory-based characteristics’ (86.2%), ‘suggested use’ (51.7%), and ‘emotive claims’ (31.0%) were more commonly seen in comparison to the other media, while the claims about ‘new brand developments’ (23.1%), ‘price’ (9.6%) and ‘suggesting to children and the whole family to use the advertised product’ (21.1%) prevailed on TV. Ultra-processed food brands are the main food companies that advertise on Brazilian TV and social media and the message transmitted by these brands varies in each media according to the advertising strategies that are used.

Use of Food Additive Titanium Dioxide (E171) before the Introduction of Regulatory Restrictions Due to Concern for Genotoxicity.

Food-grade titanium dioxide (TiO2; E171) is a coloring food additive. In May 2021, a scientific opinion was published by the European Food Safety Authority concluding that TiO2 can no longer be considered as a safe food additive. Our aim was to investigate the trends in the use of TiO2 in the food supply. A case study was conducted in Slovenia using two nationally representative cross-sectional datasets of branded foods. Analysis was performed on N = 12,644 foods (6012 and 6632 in 2017 and 2020, respectively) from 15 food subcategories where TiO2 was found as a food additive. A significant decrease was observed in the use of TiO2 (3.6% vs. 1.8%; p < 0.01). TiO2 was most often used in the chewing gum category (36.3%) in 2017, and chocolate and sweets category (45.9%) in 2020. Meanwhile, in 2017, the largest share of TiO2-containing foods was observed in the chewing gum category, namely, 70.3%, and these products presented over 85% of the market share. In 2020, only 24.6% of chewing gums contained TiO2, which accounted for only 3% of the market share. In conclusion, we showed an overall decrease in TiO2 use, even though it has not yet been officially removed from the list of authorized food additives.

Third Party Certification of Agri-Food Supply Chain Using Smart Contracts and Blockchain Tokens.

Every consumer’s buying decision at the supermarket influences food brands to make first party claims of sustainability and socially responsible farming methods on their agro-product labels. Fine wines are often subject to counterfeit along the supply chain to the consumer. This paper presents a method for efficient unrestricted publicity to third party certification (TPC) of plant agricultural products, starting at harvest, using smart contracts and blockchain tokens. The method is capable of providing economic incentives to the actors along the supply chain. A proof-of-concept using a modified Ethereum IGR token set of smart contracts using the ERC-1155 standard NFTs was deployed on the Rinkeby test net and evaluated. The main findings include (a) allowing immediate access to TPC by the public for any desired authority by using token smart contracts. (b) Food safety can be enhanced through TPC visible to consumers through mobile application and blockchain technology, thus reducing counterfeiting and green washing. (c) The framework is structured and maintained because participants obtain economic incentives thus leveraging it´s practical usage. In summary, this implementation of TPC broadcasting through tokens can improve transparency and sustainable conscientious consumer behaviour, thus enabling a more trustworthy supply chain transparency.

Exploring the antecedents and consequences of the coffee quality of Starbucks: a case study

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of coffee quality on brand preference and loyalty using Starbucks as a study subject. The determinants of coffee food healthiness are also investigated.Design/methodology/approachFood quality measures are composed of healthiness, taste, customization, price fairness and convenience. Hygiene and nutrition disclosure were examined as determinants of food healthiness. The highlighted food quality attributes were brand love and brand loyalty. Data were collected using Amazon Mechanical Turk. A total of 431 observations were used for data analysis. A structural equation model was conducted for hypotheses testing.FindingsThe results revealed that healthiness is positively associated with hygiene and nutrition disclosure. Brand love is also significantly influenced by healthiness, taste, customization and price fairness. Moreover, taste and price fairness appeared to be essential determinants of Starbucks brand loyalty.Originality/valueThis study scrutinized food quality in the domain of coffee business, and presented implications for the business. Data collected in this study contributed to the literature by revealing quality attributes of coffee and its determinants and also showing the significant relationship between coffee food quality, brand love and brand loyalty.

Halal food industry certification and operation challenges and manufacturing execution system opportunities. A review study from Malaysia

The food industry has been widely regarded as an effective sector due to its contribution to the national economy, job creation, and people's welfare. Malaysia as one effective country in the food industry and leading country in Halal food brand emphasized the importance of food quality in both operation and supply chain. Despite the importance of the Halal food industry to countries' economy including Malaysia, this industry is facing multiple challenges. In addition, halal food literature still in the infant stage despite the rapid growth of this important industry. Therefore, this review study aims to identify the challenges that surrounded the Halal industry worldwide generally and Malaysian firms particularly. This study also aims to identify the potential solution to overcome Halal food challenges. The finding of this study uncovers multiple challenges surrounded the Halal food industry in operation, marketing, and certification processes. This study also suggests that the application of the manufacturing execution system can bring a new insight to overcome Halal food challenges. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a clear understanding of Halal food industry operation and certification and their challenges and explains how MES can improve the efficiency of this industry.

Plant-based milk alternatives in the USDA Branded Food Products Database would benefit from nutrient density standards.

Many plant-based beverages (PBBs) in the US Department of Agriculture Branded Food Products Database serve as milk alternatives or replacements. Their collective nutrient content and fortification patterns need to be evaluated more fully. Listed ingredients for 641 PBBs were machine-searched for added vitamins, minerals, sugar and salt. The Nutrient Rich Food index NRF5.3 measured nutrient density. Except for soy milks, there was little consistency in nutrient density and micronutrient content across and within PBB product types. Industry-wide voluntary nutrient standards are one mechanism to bring more consistency to the expanding PBB category.

Loyalty in Food Brands : Effects of Consumer’s Perception

Although more than ten years have passed since the Great Earthquake in Japan, which occurred on March 11, 2011, there are still many concerns about radioactive contamination of Japanese food among Korean consumers. However, interest in Japanese cuisine and food continues to grow in Korea. Thus, this study examined how perceived quality and perceived value affect customer satisfaction and customer loyalty to Japanese food for Korean consumers. The analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that perceived quality considerably influenced the perceived value of Japanese food, greatly affecting satisfaction, which in turn strongly influenced loyalty. These findings are valuable in examining the mediating role of satisfaction in the causal relationship between perceived quality and perceived value for the Japanese food brand, and customer loyalty for Koreans.This study suggests that if quality is guaranteed, it can lead to satisfaction and loyalty, leading to repurchase. In the future, reliable policy regarding food safety, including providing information on Japanese food, should be developed.

Using the Self-Referencing Task to Produce Durable Change on Food Evaluations Measured via the IAT

In many daily life situations, eating behaviour manifests itself under conditions of automaticity. Associative learning procedures have proven reliable to change food items’ evaluations inferred from performances in indirect tasks, such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Targeting two alternative food brands, we investigated the impact of the Self-Referencing (SR) task on IAT performances measured immediately after the manipulation and one week later. Capitalizing on the structural features of the SR task, a first study (<em>N</em> = 145) demonstrated the durable effect of the manipulation on the IAT. An advantage in automatic responding for the snack brand paired with the self was detected right after the SR task and one week later. Instead, the SR manipulation showed no impact on self-reported evaluations. Moreover, a semantic priming task administered right after the SR task indicated response facilitation for the self-related target brand when self-stimuli were used as primes. Experiment 2 (<em>N</em> = 268, pre-registered) targeted two alternative food brands and replicated the lasting effect on the IAT, thus demonstrating the generalizability of the effect. Moreover, we extended the results’ validity by showing that SR can generate a durable effect on a behavioural choice task. We discussed the effectiveness of the SR in producing lasting effects on the IAT and other instances of automatic behavior and the potential implications for research in the food domain.

Tourism Promotion Through the Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy

The research aim is to use Macau, SAR China, as a case study to better understand the role of cuisine in promoting tourism, specifically: (1) identify key attributes for Gastronomia Macaense (Macanese cuisine) from community and industry leaders; (2) raise awareness for the importance of culinary heritage and food branding; and (3) offer a foundation for collective responses among stakeholders to participate in the application of the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Qualitative interviews for investigating Macanese cuisine were undertaken based upon identity, authenticity, image, and longevity. The findings suggest that Macanese cuisine serves as a catalyst of change for a new identity amid the influx of tourists from Mainland China. Locals are experiencing a reawakening process of their fusion cuisine; however, it also demonstrates slippery authenticity and poor image of the cuisine among industry leaders. The purpose of the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy is to reassert culinary heritage and cultural identity by raising the public awareness and the repackaging of tradition and authenticity for food consumption becomes the priority.

Australian Children's Exposure to, and Engagement With, Web-Based Marketing of Food and Drink Brands: Cross-sectional Observational Study.

BackgroundFood is one of the most frequently promoted commodities, and promoted foods are overwhelmingly unhealthy. Marketing normalizes unhealthy foods, creates a positive brand image, and encourages overconsumption. Limited research is available to describe the extent of food marketing to children on web-based media, and measuring actual exposure is challenging.ObjectiveThis study aims to monitor the extent of children’s exposure to web-based media food marketing as an essential step in increasing the accountability of industry and governments to protect children.MethodsChildren aged 13-17 years were recruited from October 2018 to March 2019. Children recorded their mobile device screen for 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day any time they visited relevant web-based platforms. After each day, the participants uploaded the video files to a secure server. Promoted products were defined using the World Health Organization European Region nutrient profile model.ResultsThe sample of 95 children uploaded 267.8 hours of video data. Children saw a median of 17.4 food promotions each hour on the internet. Considering the usual time spent on the internet on mobile devices, children would be exposed to a median of 168.4 food promotions on the web on mobile devices per week, 99.5 of which would not be permitted to be marketed based on nutrient profiling criteria. Most promotions (2613/4446, 58.77%) were peer endorsed and derived from third-party sources.ConclusionsExposure to brand content that is seemingly endorsed by peers or web-based communities likely heightens the effects of marketing on children. Regulations to protect children from this marketing must extend beyond paid advertising to paid content in posts generated through web-based communities and influencers.

INFLUENCE OF PRODUCT QUALITY PRICE AND BRAND IMAGE ON PURCHASE DECISION OF BREAD BREAD SARI BREAD (Study on Sari Roti Consumers in Semarang City)

In modern times like this, bread is increasingly unlimited usable substitute for breakfast, for lunch, and even for dinner. Along with the development of times and innovations, there are many white bread products from various brands. In 2018 Sari Roti experienced a significant decrease in sales. To retain consumers, efficient strategies are needed, such as improving product quality, affordable prices, and a good brand image. The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of product quality, price, and the brand image on buying decisions on Sari Roti. The type of this research was explanatory research with the population taken were people who had bought, eaten and made decisions as Sari Roti consumers and took 100 people with a non-probability sampling technique through purposive sampling technique and accidental sampling technique. The method used to collect the data was a questionnaire system. This research used quantitative analysis with validity test, reliability test, correlation coefficient, determination coefficient, simple and multiple regression analysis, and significant test (t-test and f test) with SPSS software version 2.2. The research’s result shown there’s an indication that the quality of food products, price, and brand image influence purchasing decisions. Based on the results, the writer suggested reviewing the designated price by giving discounts to compete with other competitors, improving service and menu innovation on the food product.

2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats

The guidelines discuss the components of a systematic approach to nutritional management of dogs and cats. A nutritional assessment, including a body condition score and muscle condition score, is a screening evaluation that should ideally be performed at every examination. Individualized nutritional recommendations, based on the nutritional assessment, should be designed to achieve and maintain an appropriate body weight and meet nutritional requirements. Communicating nutritional recommendations to clients is a challenging aspect of nutritional management because pet owners may interpret the practice team's guidance as advocacy for a particular pet food brand or a judgment of the client's ability to properly care for the pet or of the owner's own nutritional status. The guidelines discuss approaches for effective, nonjudgmental communication of dietary recommendations to clients and strategies to increase acceptance of and adherence to veterinary nutrition recommendations. Other pet nutrition topics of current interest include recommendations for particular pet life stages, breeds, and disease conditions; risk factors for nutritional deficiencies and obesity; and considerations for home-prepared diets.

Dentists call for real effort to push junk food brands out of sport

Dentists call for real effort to push junk food brands out of sport

Elevating Food Perceptions Through Luxury Verbal Cues: An Eye-Tracking and Electrodermal Activity Experiment

Many brands, including food brands, draw on connotations of luxury to elevate the favorability of consumer perceptions. This is often undertaken using cues in marketing communications; however, no research has examined the psychophysiological effect of luxury cues on consumer attention. Evidently, this study is the first experiment to use eye-tracking and skin conductance analysis to investigate how luxury cues in marketing communications can influence consumer perceptions of a food product. Our findings demonstrate that the use of luxury verbal cues can significantly enhance the attention to hedonic processing and elevate food brand perceptions. Specifically, consumers pay greater attention to the imagery of marketing communications when exposed to luxury verbal cues, which, in turn, enhance arousal and positive brand evaluations. Our research provides valuable theoretical and managerial implications for food brands using communications such as content marketing and advertising to build favorable brand connotations and elevate brand positioning.

LEDA, the branded food database in the Netherlands: Data challenges and opportunities

Food label information for approximately 100,000 branded foods has been collected in the LEDA database in the Netherlands since 2007. Data from five providers is uploaded daily. Label data is used by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre for consumer information and by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment for research purposes that support policy development. The database covers approximately 75 % of the Dutch retail food market. Mandatory food label information is available and sufficiently covered. Non mandatory information, e.g. micronutrient values, portion sizes or state of preparation is not well covered. Adding harmonization steps, at data entry by providers, e.g. using codes instead of free text, could improve branded food data collection and use. Validation procedures have been developed and implemented. To enrich branded food data with (micro)nutrient values and with other types of data, tools are under development. Open access may further extend the potential of the LEDA branded food data. Close cooperation with data providers remains essential to achieve all aims.

Social Media Accounts of Food and Beverage Brands Have Disproportionately More Black and Hispanic Followers than White Followers.

Introduction: On television, food companies promote their least nutritious products to Black and Hispanic youth more than White youth, but little is known about the extent to which Black and Hispanic adolescents may disproportionately engage with unhealthy food and beverage brands on social media relative to White adolescents.Methods: In 2019, we purchased and analyzed demographic data of social media users who followed 27 of the most marketed food/beverage brands on Instagram and Twitter. We used one-sample t-tests to compare percentages of Black, Hispanic, and White followers of the selected brands' accounts versus all social media accounts, and independent samples t-tests to compare followers of sugary versus low-calorie drink brands. We also used linear regression to examine associations between racially targeted marketing practices and the percentages of Black, Hispanic, and White followers on social media.Results: On Instagram, the percentage of Black followers of the selected brands (12.7%) was higher than the percentage of Black followers of any account (7.8%) (p<0.001). On Twitter, findings were similar for Hispanic users but opposite for White users. A higher racially targeted ratio was positively associated with the percentage of Black followers, and negatively associated with the percentage of White followers. Sugary drink brands had more Hispanic followers than low-calorie drink brands (p<0.001).Conclusions: Unhealthy food/beverage brands that target Black adolescents have a disproportionately higher percentage of Black followers on social media relative to White followers. These findings support the 2019 proposal to restrict racially targeted advertising through the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act.

Reality check

Reality check

Linking Fortification Compliance Metrics With Decision Making Needs: From Brand Level Data to Market Share Weighted Information

Abstract Objectives A fortification program can only be effective if (1) each brand producer complies with fortification standards (i.e., adequately fortified), and (2) the adequately fortified products are consumed by a large proportion of the population. We quantified fortification quality (extent to which levels of fortification align with food standards) of oil, salt and wheat flour products; and ascertained the degree of food brand penetration and market share in Tanzanian markets. Methods Food inspectors collected multiple samples of food products at the production and/or market and laboratory analysts quantified the micronutrient content. We compared the average content for each individual brand product to the national fortification standards considering lab measurement uncertainty and classified into one of 4 fortification status categories (not fortified, fortified below, according to, or above the fortification standard). To establish penetration and market share, we visited 1500 retail outlets across regions in Tanzania to ascertain brand product availability and sales volumes. We applied weights using the market share estimates to extrapolate the fortification quality of the food market volume in the country. Results Of the different brand products of salt (26), wheat flour (25), and oil (68) found in the market, samples were collected and micronutrient content analyzed in the main oil (30%), salt (62%), and wheat flour brand products (85%). While 12% of salt, 35% of wheat flour, and 22% of oil brand products were fortified above the fortification standard minimum, when weighted by their market share, these represent 90% of the salt, 86% of wheat flour, and only 2% of the oil market volume respectively. Conclusions Fortification compliance of brand products provides important data for industry and regulatory authorities to identify where corrective action is necessary. Health and development staff are concerned about the extent to which additional nutrients are delivered to the population to anticipate public health impact, for which adjustment using reliable market share data is key. Weighted brand data can help resource constrained regulatory staff prioritize monitoring and enforcement activities to industries/producers with greatest influence. Funding Sources Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).