Beyond Beauty: Exploring the Primacy of Freshness in Consumer Selection of Natural Fresh Foods

Posted: 5 Feb 2025

See all articles by Jiming Wu

Jiming Wu

Neoma Business School

Yiping (Amy) Song

NEOMA Business School

Peng Zuo

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics

Kexin Yan

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics

Date Written: May 13, 2024

Abstract

A healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition. According to Health Halo Effect, people often associate visually appealing foods with healthiness, freshness, and higher quality. Moreover, previous research has proved that consumers tend to perceive prettier foods as healthier as they possess classical aesthetical features that make them look more natural. However, for natural fresh foods, we propose that consumers prioritize freshness before prettiness in their decision-making process. In this research, we investigate the intricate interplay of food freshness, prettiness, health consciousness, and perceived human care in shaping consumer choices for natural fresh foods. Consumer judgments for appearance are often intuitive, influenced by immediate visual cues and aesthetic appeal. On the contrary, freshness is a multi-faceted concept that encompasses factors such as taste, texture, and nutrition value, which requires a more deliberate evaluation. It tends to be more rational and cognitive process when it comes to assess food freshness. Findings from a series of studies reveal that consumers prioritize freshness over prettiness, a preference heightened by increased health consciousness. Prettier foods, often associated with greater human care, paradoxically lead to perfections of reduced freshness. The study underscores the importance of better product positioning and recognizing the nuanced role of human care in shaping consumer perceptions of natural fresh foods. Moreover, it emphasizes the distinct processing pathways that consumers engage with when evaluating food prettiness and freshness. 

Keywords: Food and health decision making, perceived aesthetics, health consciousness, human care

Suggested Citation

Wu, Jiming and Song, Yiping and Zuo, Peng and Yan, Kexin, Beyond Beauty: Exploring the Primacy of Freshness in Consumer Selection of Natural Fresh Foods (May 13, 2024). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5057454

Jiming Wu (Contact Author)

Neoma Business School ( email )

1 Rue du Maréchal Juin
Mont Saint Aignan Cedex, 76825
France

Yiping Song

NEOMA Business School ( email )

59 rue Pierre Taittinger
Reims, 51061
France

Peng Zuo

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics ( email )

Kexin Yan

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics ( email )

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