An Investigation of the Contested Qualified Health Claims for Green Tea and Cancer

There have been seven qualified health claims (QHCs) in the marketplace about the relationship between the consumption of green tea and the reduced risk of breast and/or prostate cancers that were written by three stakeholders (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Fleminger, Inc. (tea company), and the Federal Court). This paper evaluates assertions about the effects of these claims on consumers, which were contested in a federal lawsuit. Using a 2 × 7 experimental design, 1,335 Americans 55 years and older were randomized to view one QHC about green tea and cancer, or an identical QHC about a novel diet-disease relationship; yukichi fruit juice and gastrocoridalis. The results show that differing stakeholder descriptions of the same evidence significantly affected consumer perceptions. For example, QHCs written by Fleminger, Inc. were rated as providing greater evidence for the green tea-cancer claim. An FDA summary statement implied mandatory (vs. voluntary) labelling and greater effectiveness, and qualitative descriptions suggested that greater evidence existed for the claims (vs. quantitative descriptions). Greater evidence was also inferred for familiar claims (green tea and cancer).

Assessing Fatty Acid Profiles of Macadamia Nuts

The kernel of the macadamia nut (Macadamia integrifolia and M. tetraphylla) is very high in oil, accounting for about three -quarters of their mass. In the current investigation, oil extracts from 20 breeding accessions and 14 cultivars had a range of 12.3% to 17.0% saturated fat, averaging 14.2%. Although all samples were found to be very high in “healthy” monounsaturated fats, the level of saturated fat slightly exceeds that of many other nuts that are able to make qualified health claims. The lowest saturated fat content (12.3%) corresponded to 4.6 g saturated fat/50 g kernels, which was slightly greater than the 4.0 g maximum. Despite this, potential exists to develop a reduced-saturated fat macadamia by combining characteristics found in different lines. The current trial indicates that lower total saturated fat was associated with a stronger ability to partition C16 and C18 fats to their monounsaturated fatty acids, or to elongate C16:0 to C18:0 and subsequently desaturate C18:0 to C18:1. It was also observed that the pollinizer parent is likely to have an influence on saturated fat content, although this would need to be confirmed in controlled pollination trials. Macadamia varieties generally outcross, and because the edible kernel (embryo) is formed from a pollinated ovule, it is likely any future reduced-saturated fat line would also require a reduced-saturated fat pollinizer parent.

How confusion impacts product labeling perceptions

Purpose Consumer confusion is an often discussed, but seldom investigated, construct central to marketing. This study aims to conceptualize consumer confusion as an intellectual emotion with cognitive and emotional components, and examine it in the context of qualified health claims and conflicting marketplace information. Design/methodology/approach A between-subjects experimental design is used to test the hypotheses. Findings Structural equation modeling suggests that weak science discussions and conflicting information on dietary supplements evoke consumer confusion. Confusion, in turn, impacts scientific certainty perceptions, product quality and firm credibility. Incorporating confusion measures in theoretical models significantly increases the amount of variance explained in consumer perceptions. Implications are offered for businesses, consumer behaviorists and public policymakers. Originality/value It is hard to think about many of marketing’s focal issues (e.g. trademark theory, disclosures and warnings, advertising deception, search and shopping behavior) without using the term confusion. While confusion is central to discussions of these domains, it has evaded focused attention and study. Indeed, no previous research in marketing has directly addressed the experience of consumer confusion per se. The current research fills a gap in the marketing literature by explicitly defining the construct of confusion and offering a measurement approach that is easily adapted to many business/consumer interactions. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate the role of confusion in the context of qualified health claims by showing how conflicting information between health claims, qualifiers and external information can create confusion, and in turn, lead to negative consumer perceptions.

Conjoint Analysis of U.S. Consumers’ Preference for Elderberry Jelly and Juice Products

This study is the first of its kind in eliciting U.S. consumer preferences for elderberry juice and jelly products. An online survey collected self-reported information from 1043 U.S. residents. Results of a conjoint analysis suggest elderberry products that disclose qualified health claims and are produced locally were the best positioned to compete for greater shares in the jelly and juice product markets. Although consumers were 27% less likely to purchase elderberry jelly and 23% less likely to purchase elderberry juice relative to products containing competing fruit types, ceteris paribus, the fruit type product attribute determined only 9% of jelly and 13% of juice stated purchasing decision. More important than fruit type, consumers valued product price, disclosure of health claims, and origin. Consumers were 3.7 times more likely to choose locally produced jelly products than imported jelly and twice as likely to select products disclosing health claims compared with jelly products without claims. Likewise, consumers were 3.3 times more likely to choose locally produced juice products than imported juice products and 2.1 times more likely to select juice products with health claims than without. Our results indicate that an introductory strategy that combines the strength of preferences for locally produced products along with the disclosure of health claims at a competitive price can be an important tool in expanding the market for elderberry products in the United States.