Eliciting vulnerable consumers’ preferences for redundant vs. organic and functional claims: Experimental auction studies among young and older adults

• Published in: Journal of agriculture and food research 2024-03, Vol.15, p.100925, Article 100925
• Main Authors: Nagy, László Bendegúz, Vecchio, Riccardo, Caso, Gerarda, Eren, Burak Atilla, Unger-Plasek, Brigitta, Lakner, Zoltán, Pfeiffer, Laura, Tompa, Orsolya, Bogóné Tóth, Zsuzsánna, Bognár, Bianka, Fehér, Orsolya, Temesi, Ágoston
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apple juice; Field experiment; Functional food; Organic food; Willingness to pay
• ISSN: 2666-1543; 2666-1543
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jafr.2023.100925

The growing use of redundant claims on food products pose a risk for organic and functional food producers among others, as it can mislead consumers in their products’ evaluations. Redundant claims refer to marketing statements that highlight qualities or attributes that are expected or should be inherent to the product. Previous studies reveal that consumers are generally willing to pay more for redundantly claimed products. In this study, preferences are analyzed for organic, functional, and redundantly labeled apple juice among specific consumer groups, namely young and old adults. To elicit individual monetary preferences a lab experiment and a field study were conducted with 147 younger (average age: 21 years) and 131 older participants (average age: 70 years), in both studies an incentive compatible technique was applied. Results showed that either younger and older consumers are willing to pay higher prices for organic, functional, and redundantly claimed apple juices. Perceived healthiness was a significant factor in increasing preferences for all the added valued products in the case of younger participants, but health only influenced preferences of organic and functional apple juice among older participants. Preferences of redundantly claimed and organic products were similar in the case of young participants, as functional and redundantly claimed juices preferences in the case of older participants. [Display omitted] •Younger consumers are willing to pay similar amounts for redundantly claimed and organic juice.•Redundantly claimed and functional apple juice received similar preferences among older participants.•Perceived healthiness is significantly influencing young participants' preferences for added valued apple juices.