Influence of relative fat content information on responses to three foods

Thirty-six normal-weight participants each tasted and rated three cheeses, three yoghurts and three ''koerrtas'' (a novel, tofu-based food) on several hedonic, intention and sensory dimensions. Each sample was labelled as either ''Higher'' (than normal fat content), ''Normal'', or ''Lower'' (than normal fat content) while the actual fat content remained virtually constant. Cheese and yoghurt were chosen as consumers thought them to be high and low fat foods respectively in pre-testing. The presence of significant and predictable label effects on dimensions such as perceived healthiness and amount of fat demonstrated the efficacy of the manipulation. The Lower labelled foods were rated slightly less pleasant than the Normal but there was no interaction with type of food. However, there was an interaction with food type for rated likelihood of buying: participants were more likely to buy the Lower labelled yoghurt than the Normal or Higher yoghurts. Participant characteristics were important moderators of the effect of the dietary fat-related labels. Those participants who reported a greater perceived influence of general health concerns on food choice, for example, rated the higher fat labelled foods as less pleasant and tended to be less likely to buy the higher labelled yoghurts and cheeses than those who reported a lower perceived influence. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.