Branding, ingredients and nutrition information: consumer liking of a healthier snack

Taste appeal, sustainable ingredients and valid health claims are challenges for successful marketing of healthier food products. This study was designed to compare the effects of branding, ingredients and nutrition information on consumer liking towards a prototype of the Nothing Else healthier snack bar with the top three brands of New Zealand snack bars, and another product with a good nutrient profiling score. Sixty-four consumers were recruited to evaluate the five snack bars. Participants initially blind-rated on visual analogue scales their liking scores in relation to colour, taste, flavour, texture and overall liking. Packaging for the products was then presented alongside each of the five products and participants rated their liking scores for a second time. Participants also ranked the five products from 1 to 5 for healthiness, taste, naturalness, and purchase intent if prices were the same. In both blind and informed tests, the Nothing Else bar was the least liked snack bar among all the tested samples. However, after the packaging for the products was presented, overall liking of the Nothing Else bar increased by 14% (p = 0.023), while overall liking for the four commercial products were unchanged. While the most popular commercial bar was ranked the highest for taste and purchase intent, the Nothing Else bar was ranked the highest for the healthiness and naturalness. Our findings confirmed that the branding and health related nutrition information could improve consumer liking and brand perception particularly if backed by marketing