Conference Agenda

There is increasing attention on the role of environmental information in driving changes in behaviour. Less attention has been given to how this information alters the perceived performance of a product. Research has shown that marketing tools (e.g., brand logos, advertising) influence the perceived sensory performance of food products, and environmental information in the media may have similar effects: visual information (e.g., videos) can generate an emotional response that alters how the consumer translates a sensory stimulus into a sensory perception. This research uses a remote (at home) sensory approach and a choice experiment to explore whether watching a 3-minute video on the environmental impact of aquaculture alters the sensory assessment and choice of salmon from aquaculture. In the experiment, a video presented aquaculture as environmentally sustainable (positive video), or environmentally damaging (negative video). Emotions were captured via facial expression, and by self-reporting. Results indicate that while negative (but not positive) information influences the perceived flavour and overall liking of salmon, positive (but not negative) information influences expected utility at choice. The change in perception is mediated by a reduction in positive emotions, and not by an increase in negative emotions. This effect is not driven by a change in the underlying values of the consumer, but by the perceived quality of the good.