The influences of attitudes, beliefs and label information on perceptions of reduced-fat spread

A sample of 101 consumers completed questionnaires assessing use, attitudes and beliefs with regard to full- and reduced-fat (FF and RF) spreads. In sensory tests, they rated liking of selected attributes and overall liking of a RF spread sample labelled as "reduced-fat spread 40% fat" or "full-fat margarine 80% fat". The amount spread onto bread was also determined. Other than an effect on likelihood of consumption, there were no consistent effects of label alone on any of these measures. However, analyses of sensory and hedonic ratings revealed consistent interactive effects of label information with consumer attitudes, beliefs, and (to a lesser degree) with the type of spread normally used. Eating restraint and body composition were generally unrelated to sensory ratings and response to label information. The overall effect of label information was to shift sensory judgments in a direction more consistent with an individual's beliefs; i.e., hedonic responses from subjects with more positive attitudes toward RF or FF spreads were significantly greater in the respective label condition. Given this potential differential influence of labelling, we recommend that consumer trials manipulating provision of information should include measures assessing subjects' attitudinal characteristics.