Abstract

Health and environment front-of-package labels are increasingly used to influence consumer behavior. This study aimed to assess the impact of calorie warnings and environment-related labels and their combined effects on consumers' product perceptions and likelihood of purchase. An online randomized 2 x 3 factorial design was used to test the effects of the Chilean warning label (none vs. high-in calorie) and environment-related labels (none vs. the Chilean eco-label vs. a fictitious environmental warning) on consumer perceptions and behavioral intention, using cereal bars and ice cream as case study. Participants (N = 611), were randomly assigned to one of six conditions. They were asked to rate purchase likelihood and perceptions of calorie content, healthiness, health risk, social approval, environmental friendliness, and sodium content. Analyses were conducted using two-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD tests. For cereal bars, the calorie warning increased perceived calorie content, and health risk, and reduced healthiness, and social approval perceptions. The environmental warning decreased the likelihood of purchase, product healthiness, environmental friendliness, and social approval. Examining a near-significant interaction, the eco-label increased social approval for products with a calorie warning. For ice cream, the environmental warning decreased the likelihood of purchase and perceptions of environmental friendliness (Ps >. 05). This study found that the calorie warning on cereal bars influenced consumer perceptions as intended, while the fictitious environmental warning had a negative impact on product assessment. However, within products with calorie warnings, the Chilean eco-label may increase the product's social approval. These preliminary findings suggest the need for coherent policies that promote health and sustainability without conflicting effects.