Consumers’ Asymmetric Demand Patterns for Nutrition-Claim Products versus Non-Nutrition-Claim Products: Evidence from UK

Abstract: This paper aims to integrate food marking research, economic theory and consumer perspective in order to make novel prediction about the effects of nutritional properties in food on consumers‘ asymmetric demand patterns. Moreover, we attempt to investigate how nutritional benefits conveyed in products affect consumers‘ demand response by comparing consumers‘ price sensitivity across nutrition-claim products (CP) and non-nutrition-claim products (NCP). Using consumer home-scan data, the research adopts the Heckman correction approach to control selection bias, finding that consumers‘ demand sensitivity is asymmetric across four types of products: healthy food with nutrition claims (HCP), healthy food without nutrition claims (HNCP), unhealthy food with nutrition claims (UNC) and unhealthy food without nutrition claims (UNCP). Specifically, consumers exhibit greater sensitivity for price decreases and less sensitivity for price increases across both healthy and unhealthy food groups. Additionally, the research shows that consumers‘ demand sensitivity is greater for NCP than for CP. Moreover, the findings suggest that nutrition claims move consumers‘ undesirable demand patterns to a desirable pattern, keeping a range of household characteristics, coupon usage and store types constant. Notable implications of these results are discussed for marketing practitioners, consumers, researchers, and public health professionals.

报告人：颜霁  博士 湘潭大学商学院 金融系

主持人：张立 副教授 湘潭大学商学院战略与营销管理研究中心主任 

Dr Yan obtained PhD degree in Cardiff University in 2012. Her research interests lie in consumer behaviour and R&D innovation research.

时间：4月12日晚上7点

地点：经管106