Purpose: With the increasing trend of using micronutrient fortification as a tool to boost immunity and fight various deficiency diseases and disorders, it is interesting to explore what it brings for the food manufacturers apart from the increased expenses that stem from the added vitamins and minerals and the modernised technological processes used. This research investigates if the food manufacturers enjoy high customer-based brand equity for their fortified food brands in the UK and if yes how can they optimise it by controlling the different contributing factors. A brand’s brand equity directly translates from the values in the form of brand meanings, advocacy and loyalty that the customers hold for that brand and this study aims to examine how peer influence, willingness to pay and the health labels on the packaging contribute towards increasing these values. Methodology: The research is focussed on studying the responses from 156 UK millennials (20-40-year-olds), collected through the quantitative method of using a self-administered online questionnaire that are then statistically analysed using SPSS and PROCESS macro for SPSS to deduce important relationships and critical business and marketing implications. Findings: Results from the detailed analysis indicate that all the three factors significantly contribute towards the customer-based brand equity of fortified food brands in a positive way, with the impact from willingness to pay being the highest, peer influence being the next highest and the health labels being the last. It is also revealed that the effect from the health labels is mediated by peer influence with a positive correlation. Moreover, a critical marketing implication has been uncovered from this study that suggests that the entire packaging mix (pack colours, pictures, brand name, health labels) of a fortified food brand contributes towards consumer decision making as opposed to only health labels as a standalone factor. Key Words: Fortified foods, functional foods, willingness to pay, Reference Intake, peer influence, health labels, CBBE(Consumer Based Brand Equity.
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Kataria, Kriti
Rights Holders: Kataria, Kriti Supervisors: Charl S., Sevel
Oxford Brookes Business SchoolDepartment of Marketing
MSc Marketing and Brand Management
2020
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