The effects of nutrient ad disclosures of fast food menu items on consumer selection behaviors regarding subjective 1281 nutrition knowledge and body mass index

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is: to examine how the nutrient ad disclosures (i.e. absolute and evaluative disclosure) of fast food menu items influence consumers' evaluation behaviors of those foods; to investigate how consumers' subjective nutrition knowledge and BMI influence their evaluation behaviors of fast food meals with nutrient ad disclosures. Design/methodology/approach Two 2 x 2 experiment designs were used to investigate the influences of nutrient ad disclosures, subjective nutrition knowledge, and BMI on consumers' evaluation behavior. Findings The findings indicate that: the evaluative disclosure led to significantly less favorable consumer evaluations of selected fast food menu items than did the absolute disclosure; consumers who had high subjective nutrition knowledge and who were low BMI (i.e. people who have normal BMI) conducted significantly more critical evaluations of focal fast food meals with nutrient ad disclosures than did their counterparts. Practical implications Those findings imply that policy makers should develop a new format of nutrition information on fast food meals based on the evaluative disclosure in order to help consumers choose healthful foods. Originality/value Even though the effectiveness of the new menu-labeling regulation of the fast food industry is still controversial, only a few studies have been conducted to find a more effective nutrition information format than the current format. Thus, this study provides valuable implications to policy makers in terms of developing a more effective nutrition information format.