An investigation on the interplay between Front-of-Pack nutritional labels and plastic packaging materials in healthy foods

Over the last decades, Front-of-Pack Nutritional Labels (FOPLs) have been introduced in multiple forms as a strong signal to support consumers in making more informed and healthier food choices. Limited attention has been devoted to how such labels interact with other package cues in affecting customers' food selection processes. Our research aims to investigate the under-explored topic of how the interplay between Front-of-Pack Nutritional Labels and package material affects food quality perception. By exploring the case of healthy foods in plastic packages through a multi-method research approach, we demonstrate across 3 studies (N=524) that healthy foods (e.g., cereals, salads) packed in plastic packages featuring FOPLs (versus no FOPLs) are perceived as more trustworthy by consumers, moreover we showed that compared to directive labels like the Nutri-Score, non-directive labels such as the NutrInform Battery increase perceived trust in the packaging material, which in turn generates higher perceptions of food health quality. Furthermore, we found that this effect is magnified when the plastic food packaging contains virtuous elements signaling sustainability. This research advances existing knowledge on food labels by offering new insights into their role as external cues that affect not only perceptions of food quality but also perceptions of packaging materials. This includes materials like plastic, which are negatively evaluated by consumers but are in some cases essential for food storage and preservation. Our findings provide valuable insights for both policymakers and managers aiming at designing initiatives to promote healthy food in the presence of packaging materials perceived as unhealthy or unsustainable.