Work

When Food Scanner Apps Outperform Front‐of‐Pack Nutrition Labels: A Conditional Process Model to Foster Healthier Food Choices in Times of Growing Distrust

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT While consumers increasingly use food scanner apps as an alternative to front‐of‐pack labels, the effectiveness of these nutritional signals in promoting healthier food choices remains a topic of debate. This study examines when and under what conditions food scanner apps encourage healthier eating and outperform front‐of‐pack nutrition labels. It builds on four studies: a quantitative content analysis of over 16,000 online reviews and a survey of 86 respondents in an exploratory phase, along with two experiments that test the conceptual model. The findings identify three conditions where food scanner apps outperform front‐of‐pack labels: when the nutritional quality score of a product is poor, when consumers distrust the dominant players, and when mid‐range brands have average brand equity. These findings suggest that food scanner apps and front‐of‐pack labels complement rather than oppose each other, thus providing key insights for policymakers and food brand managers.

Source: Psychology and Marketing

DOI: 10.1002/mar.22214

Authors: Camille Cornudet, Marie‐Eve Laporte, Fabienne Berger‐Remy, Béatrice Parguel, Jean‐Loup Richet