The role of time constraints in consumer understanding of health claims

The growing market for healthy foods has contributed to increased interest in communicating the health-related benefits of food products. Health claims are becoming an increasingly used instrument to communicate such benefits. In the European Union, consumer understanding of health claims was set as condition for use in order to protect consumers against misleading claims. However, consumer understanding has received little attention compared to consumer perceptions of claims. Consumers only have limited time in a normal shopping situation, which can impact the meanings they attach to claims. This study's aim was to examine the effect of time constraints on consumer understanding of health claims and the potential link between understanding and intention to buy. A survey conducted among respondents in Denmark (N = 1483) used a time constraint manipulation and varied the health claim shown to respondents when assessing consumer understanding. The results showed that consumers' objective understanding is lower under time constraint. Specific inferences were associated with increased intention to buy. Implications for public policy and food industry are discussed.