How do calorie‐ending and price‐ending matter in the food consumption decision making?

• Published in: International journal of consumer studies Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 731 - 743
• Main Authors: Kim, Jihye, Kim, Minseong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2022
• Subjects: Advertisements; Between-subjects design; Calories; calorie‐ending; Consumers; Decision making; Desire; Drinks; Food consumption; food service; food tour consumption; Guilt; health motivation; Healthy food; left‐digit effect; Money; Motivation; nutrition labeling; price‐ending
• ISSN: 1470-6423; 1470-6431
• DOI: 10.1111/ijcs.12721

This study conducted two experiments to investigate the relationship among calorie‐ending, health motivation, price‐ending and desire to save money from food consumption. For Study 1, an online experiment employing a 2 (culinary tour advertisement: up to 1,999 calories per day vs. up to 2,000 calories per day) × 2 (health motivation: high or low) between‐subjects design was conducted. For Study 2, an online experiment employing a 2 (price‐ending: 1,999 calories culinary tour at $60.00 vs. 1,999 calories culinary tour at $59.99) × 2 (health motivation: high or low) × 2 (level of desire to save money: high or low) between‐subjects design was conducted. Study 1’s findings indicated that highly health‐motivated consumers are more likely to purchase a culinary tour with 1,999 calories and feel anticipated guilt for participating in a culinary tour with 2,000 calories. Study 2 found a significant three‐way interaction between health motivation, desire to save money from consumption and price‐ending with odd‐ending calories via a three‐way ANOVA. The findings revealed a statistically significant, simple two‐way interaction between health motivation and desire to save money from consumption of the 1,999 calories culinary tour at $59.99, but not for the 1,999 calories culinary tour at $60.00. Foodservice marketers need to use calorie information based on the left‐digit or level effect, to lead consumers to simultaneously reduce a level of anticipated guilt for purchasing the culinary tour and enjoy the provided foods and drinks.