Producer versus consumer, the battle of the nutrition claim

Nutritional claims such as 'light', 'low in fat', 'extra protein' have become more the norm than the exception on the products you find in the supermarket. It is certainly a marketing trick or is it a way of making people aware of healthy eating?

Kelly Geyskens is a senior lecturer in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management at Maastricht University, School of Business and Economics. She graduated from the University of Leuven and holds a PhD in Consumer Behaviour.

Misleading
As a researcher, Kelly is particularly interested in the consumer's perspective. How can they protect the customer from the marketing statements surrounding "light claims," among other things.

"On a pack of food, for example, it says 33% less fat. But when you go to look at the calories, it turns out there are only 11% fewer calories in it. The fats are offset by other nutrients, which are also not good for health. That 33% is what people cling to". Kelly sees that consumers then start overcompensating, taking in more than the reduced calories. In fact, it is then best to buy the normal "version" of the product.

Decoy effect
For years there has been the Decoy effect, also known as the distraction effect. This is a phenomenon where you have two options and a third option is added. This option is added to steer people in a certain direction. Example: you have a choice between a small €3.00 popcorn and a large €7.00 popcorn. A third option of a medium popcorn of €6.00 is added. So the medium popcorn is the detractor to steer people toward the large popcorn. This seems like a good deal.

Kelly investigated whether this effect also works to help people make healthier choices. During the study, she used grapes and chocolate chip cookies. The choice made was 50/50. When she added a third option, a less appealing product in terms of price, quality and taste, namely a carrot, she found that 73% chose the grapes.

Wondering what else Kelly has to say about her research? Then listen to the latest episode of the Work Professor.

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