The impact of altruistic attribution and brand equity in food label campaigns
| Published date | 17 September 2018 |
| Pages | 634-646 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-12-2016-1381 |
| Date | 17 September 2018 |
| Author | Stéphane Legendre,François Coderre |
| Subject Matter | Marketing,Product management,Brand management/equity |
The impact of altruistic attribution and brand
equity in food label campaigns
Stéphane Legendre and François Coderre
Department of Marketing, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this study is to analyse the impact of two determinants of purchase intention in food label campaigns: altruistic
attribution and brand equity.
Design/methodology/approach –A22 between-group factorial experimental design was used, with 2 levels of altruistic attribution (high/low)
and 2 levels of brand equity (high/low). The product used for the study was pork chops. A survey was conducted on 602 respondents representing
the population of Quebec, Canada.
Findings –Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the fit of the data with the proposed mod el. The results demonstrate that altruistic
attribution and brand equity have an indirect impact on purchase intention via perceptions of taste and food safety. Altruistic attribution, but not
brand equity, also has a direct impact on purchase intention.
Research limitations/implications –The experiment in this study was conducted via an online consumer panel to increase internal validity. As a
result, one of the limitations of the study concerns its external validity.
Practical implications –This research provides strategic guidelines for businesses or organisations that wish to develop food label campaigns.
They must simultaneously consider both altruistic attribution and pre-existing brand equity.
Originality/value –This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the impact of altruistic attribution and brand equity on purchase
intention in the context of food label campaigns. The study mobilises attribution theory and the multidimensional consumer-based brand equity
scale.
Keywords Attribution theory, Altruism, Brand equity, Signalling theory, Food labels
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Various food labels have been developed in recent years to
meet the growing consumer demand for food quality and
safety (Aprile et al., 2012; Zepeda et al., 2013). Labels or
signals communicate attributes that cannot be observed in
the consumption experience (Rao et al.,1999;Washburn
et al., 2004). A 2010 inventory by the European
Commission found at least 424 different food labels in
commercial use, in the European market alone, to certify
particular characteristics of a product or a production
mode (European Commission, 2010). These labels, with
and without certification (Zepeda et al., 2013), mainly
address organic farming (Cesar Machado et al., 2015),
origin of product (Brodie and Benson-Rea, 2016),
traceability (Bradu et al.,2014), environmental
management (Pancer et al., 2017), nutrition (Nocella et al.,
2014), Fair Trade (Cater et al., 2017), animal welfare (Van
Loo et al.,2014) and food safety factors such as non-use of
antibiotics (Ortega et al., 2014) or pesticides (Bauer et al.,
2013).
A number of studies have shown that food labels have a
significant impact on purchaseintention and willingness to pay
for food. Research demonstrates that the impact is particularly
significant for the animal welfare label (Dickinson and Bailey,
2005;Gracia et al., 2011;Lagerkvist and Hess, 2011;
Liljenstolpe, 2011;Lusk et al.,2007;Nilsson et al., 2006;Van
Loo et al.,2014). Emphasising animal welfare also generates
perceptions regarding taste (Dentoni et al., 2014;Lagerkvist
and Hess, 2011;Pettersson et al., 1999) and food safety
(Dentoni et al., 2014;Tonsor, 2011). More generally, it has
also been shown in the literature that organic labels, which
include animal welfarestandards (Canadian General Standards
Board, 2015), also have a positive impact on perceptions
regarding the taste (Larceneux et al., 2012) and safety (Bauer
et al.,2013) of food.
First and foremost, this article demonstrates that in a food label
campaign, altruistic attribution has an impact on perceptions of
taste and safety and on purchase intention for food. In fact,
studies reveal that consumers are often sceptical about the actual
motives of companies that display labels (Gadema and
Oglethorpe, 2011;Zepedaet al.,2013).Thisscepticismis
exacerbated by the plethora of labels currently available on the
market and the intuitive belief that social initiatives are primarily
motivated by companies’self-interest (Becker-Olsen et al., 2006;
Speed and Thompson, 2000;Webb and Mohr, 1998).
According to attribution theory, individuals attribute two types of
motives when companies highlight their social impact:
1firm-self-serving motives; or
2 public-serving motives (Becker-Olsen et al., 2006;Ellen
et al., 2006).
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
27/6 (2018) 634–646
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-12-2016-1381]
634
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