Abstract

To address the growing concern of non-communicable diseases and obesity, the Government of Canada will introduce a mandatory front-of-package (FOP) warning label for prepackaged foods “high in” saturated fats, sugars, and sodium. This intervention, set to be implemented in January 2026, aims to nudge consumers into making better-informed and healthier food choices. Through a series of three experimental studies, this research seeks to examine: (1) the influence of the proposed FOP label on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions toward reformulated products; (2) the mediating effects of perceived healthiness and perceived tastiness; and (3) the moderating roles of goal salience (health vs. indulgence) and product type (healthy vs. unhealthy). Study 1 found that warning labels led to declining consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions toward reformulated products, with perceived healthiness mediating the effect. Study 2 revealed that participants with a prominent health goal exhibited less favorable attitudes toward the reformulated product with (vs. without) the warning label, while those with an indulgent goal showed no difference in attitudes. Study 3 showed that participants demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the warning label when displayed on healthy (vs. unhealthy) food products. This thesis contributes to the literature on consumer behavior in the food industry, offering insights into the dynamics between health and indulgence within the framework of warning labels and product reformulation. The findings hold managerial implications for new product development, packaging, and communication strategies, and can help inform governments and policymakers about the effectiveness of warning labels for reformulated products.