Epicurean Food Marketing

As a response to the growing global obesity epidemic, the food industry along with the help of the academia, traditionally suggested removing fat, salt, and increasing sugar from products. However, reformulation has it's own limitations:

1. Reformulation can create a "health halo" around food thus prompting people to eat more of it than they otherwise would.
2. Consumers increasingly equate healthiness with preserving food's natural properties but not its nutritional profile.

The most effective way for food marketers to help consumers be mindful about their health is to encourage healthier food choices. Research show that:

1. Cognitive nudges provide information about food product healthiness, often employing a nutrition label or symbol.
2. Affective nudges attempt to motivate consumers to eat better using written or oral encouragement.
3. Behavioral nudges seek to impact consumers' actions directly be emphasizing convenience by making healthy choices easier than unhealthy choices.