Search for Nutrition Information: A Probit Analysis of the Use of Different Information Sources

Abstract

Much consumer research on nutrition information‐seeking has focused on prepurchase label reading. This study examines the search for nutrition information from a broader group of sources, because prepurchase label reading appears to be only a small part of consumers' total search. The use of different information sources was analyzed using 2 cost benefit model for search. Benefits are related to the importance of nutrition to the consumer, and to obtaining better food value. Although the model fits better for some sources than for others, support was obtained for the model. The results suggest the usefulness of a cost‐benefit approach in understanding consumer information‐seeking for nutrition; they emphasize the importance of examining consumers' use of a variety of information sources and support recent suggestions for segmentation of the audience for nutrition information. Policy makers may be able to encourage search for nutrition information by emphasizing the enduring importance of nutrition to consumers.