Consumer preferences for upcycled foods: The role of product attributes and label information

Abstract

Over the last decade there has been an increasing interest by food industry in upcycled foods as a way to reduce food waste and loss through the food supply chain. This manuscript investigates the effect of nutritional and environmental information on Vietnamese consumer preferences for upcycled biscuits containing brewer waste grain (BSG). Results revealed that when consumers are informed about the nutritional and environmental benefits of the upcycled biscuits, they exhibited a higher purchase intent compared to the absence of such information. The inclusion of sustainability or nutrition information changed repurchase intent, with the effect driven by sensory perception. Food companies must carefully assess the impact of product information and sensory perception on consumers purchase and repurchase intent to effectively advocate for sustainable or nutritional food choices. These findings provide useful insights for product development and marketing activities for upcycled food businesses.