Work

Who Pays for Low-GI Yogurt in China? Moderating Roles of Health Orientation and Consumer Knowledge

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The Glycemic Index (GI) serves as a critical indicator of carbohydrate quality linked to postprandial glycemic response. As "Low-GI" claims proliferate on front-of-pack labels, it remains unclear how consumers value this complex signal. This study quantifies willingness to pay (WTP) for Low-GI labeling and tests a "motivation-capability" mechanism, positing that health orientation motivates label use, while objective Low-GI knowledge facilitates targeted evaluation across nutritional contexts. METHODS: = 910). Mixed logit models analyzed how the valuation of the Low-GI claim is moderated by carbohydrate context, health orientation, and objective knowledge. RESULTS: Results indicate a significant average premium for Low-GI labeling, with health orientation acting as a consistent motivational amplifier. Objective knowledge functions as a critical moderator interacting with carbohydrate context, driving label valuation only in specific low- or high-carbohydrate profiles while triggering skepticism in regular carbohydrate ones. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the public health effectiveness of emerging physiological claims depends jointly on consumer motivation and label-specific literacy. Consequently, policy interventions should combine label standardization with targeted education, equipping consumers with the capability to decode the claim's physiological meaning rather than relying on a generalized health halo.

Source: Nutrients

DOI: 10.3390/nu18040643

Authors: Yixin Guo, Leyi Wang, Wenxue Tang, Xiaoou Liu

Institution: Renmin University of China

Language: English

Topic: Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,499