Work

Transparency as a Trust Catalyst: How Self-Disclosure Strategies Reshape Consumer Perceptions of Unhealthy Food Brands on Digital Platforms

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Digital food-ordering apps make it simple to buy indulgent drinks yet hard to judge their health risks. We conducted five online experiments (N = 1048) to compare two messages for sugary beverages: self-promotion that stresses taste and self-disclosure that plainly warns “high sugar/high calories”. Brands that chose self-disclosure were seen as more socially responsible and transparent, which in turn raised trust and lifted purchase intent. These gains were strongest for users who care deeply about the category or the brand and remained robust even among highly health-conscious shoppers. The results show that, for “vice” foods, honest warnings can outperform glossy claims. Our study extends signaling and attribution theories to digital food markets and offers managers a straightforward playbook for complying with new labeling rules while still driving sales.

Source: Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research

DOI: 10.3390/jtaer20020133

Authors: Cong Sun, Jinxi Ji, Xing Meng

Institution: Ningbo University

Language: English

Topic: Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207

Funder: Ningbo University