News Release

New study: Can a healthy food sample lead to unhealthy purchases?

Findings show a free complimentary healthy food item at a store or restaurant can lead consumers to subsequently purchase indulgent foods

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of South Florida

Media Contact:
John Dudley
(814) 490-3290 (cell)
jjdudley@usf.edu

TAMPA, Fla. (Sept. 5, 2024) – Big box stores often hand out complimentary food items to customers, and these foods can vary in terms of healthfulness. Would getting a complimentary healthy food item versus an unhealthy food item influence subsequent purchases?

In a new study published yesterday in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, a team of researchers led by University of South Florida Professor of Marketing Dipayan Biswas examines this phenomenon through a series of experiments, including four studies conducted in the field.

Here are the main takeaways from their findings:

  • Sampling a healthy food item can lead to the unexpected outcome of buying more unhealthy food. This is especially true when the healthy sample seems very different from the other food choices available.
  • On the other hand, when the sampled food and other available options seem similar, consumers are more likely to continue choosing healthy foods.
  • Consumers should be aware that sampling a healthy food may give them a false sense of "virtue," potentially leading to indulgence in less healthy options later.
  • To make better food decisions, consumers can consider how similar the sampled food is to what they plan to buy and recognize how this may influence their choices.

"Our study looked at whether a free complimentary healthy food item can actually be bad for you,” Biswas said. “What we found was that getting one at a store or restaurant can lead consumers to subsequently purchase indulgent foods.”

A PDF version of the paper is available here.

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About the University of South Florida 

The University of South Florida, a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. With campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF serves approximately 50,000 students who represent nearly 150 different countries. U.S. News & World Report has ranked USF as one of the nation’s top 50 public universities for five consecutive years, and this year USF earned its highest ranking ever among all universities public or private. In 2023, USF became the first public university in Florida in nearly 40 years to be invited to join the Association of American Universities, a prestigious group of the leading universities in the United States and Canada. Through hundreds of millions of dollars in research activity each year and as one of the top universities in the world for securing new patents, USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.


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