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Guiltless Gluttony: The Asymmetric Effect of Size Labels on Size Perceptions and Consumption

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  • Nİlüfer Z. Aydinoğlu
  • Aradhna Krishna

Abstract

Size labels adopted by food vendors can have a major impact on size judgments and consumption. In forming size judgments, consumers integrate the actual size information from the stimuli with the semantic cue from the size label. Size labels influence not only size perception and actual consumption, they also affect perceived consumption. Size labels can also result in relative perceived size reversals, so that consumers deem a smaller package to be bigger than a larger one. Further, consumers are more likely to believe a label that professes an item to be smaller (vs. larger) in the size range associated with that item. This asymmetric effect of size labels can result in larger consumption without the consumer even being aware of it ("guiltless gluttony").

Suggested Citation

  • Nİlüfer Z. Aydinoğlu & Aradhna Krishna, 2011. "Guiltless Gluttony: The Asymmetric Effect of Size Labels on Size Perceptions and Consumption," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(6), pages 1095-1112.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/657557
    DOI: 10.1086/657557
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    Cited by:

    1. Gotfredsen, Andreas & Nielsen, Carsten S. & Sebald, Alexander C. & Webb, Edward J.D., 2021. "Manipulating perception: The effect of product similarity on valuations and markets," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 263-286.
    2. Ketron, Seth & Williams, Miranda, 2018. "She loves the way you lie: Size-related self-concept and gender in vanity sizing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 248-255.
    3. Ketron, Seth & Naletelich, Kelly, 2022. "Relative vices and absolute virtues: How size labeling affects size preferences for vices and virtues," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 387-397.
    4. Minghui Li & Chaohai Shen & Mengyao Wen, 2023. "The Effect of Firm-Specific Environmental Punishment on Stock Price Crash Risk: Evidence From China," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, October.
    5. Jerzy Grobelny & Rafal Michalski, 2015. "The role of background color, interletter spacing, and font size on preferences in the digital presentation of a product," WORking papers in Management Science (WORMS) WORMS/15/05, Department of Operations Research and Business Intelligence, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.
    6. Jose A Martínez, 2016. "The magic of ‘great’ linked to product names," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(2), pages 179-196, March.
    7. Courtney Szocs & Dipayan Biswas, 2016. "Forks over Spoons: The Impact of Cutlery on Calorie Estimates," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 1(1), pages 161-174.
    8. Mario Fernández-Zarza & Santiago Amaya-Corchuelo & Giovanni Belletti & Encarnación Aguilar-Criado, 2021. "Trust and Food Quality in the Valorisation of Geographical Indication Initiatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-22, March.
    9. Nugraha, Widya Satya & Chen, Dennis & Yang, Shang-Ho, 2022. "The effect of a Halal label and label size on purchasing intent for non-Muslim consumers," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    10. Marano-Marcolini, Carla & Torres-Ruiz, Francisco J., 2017. "A consumer-oriented model for analysing the suitability of food classification systems," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 176-189.
    11. Ketron, Seth, 2016. "Consumer cynicism and perceived deception in vanity sizing: The moderating role of retailer (dis)honesty," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 33-42.
    12. Ketron, Seth & Naletelich, Kelly & Migliorati, Stefano, 2021. "Representational versus abstract imagery: Effects on purchase intentions between vice and virtue foods," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 52-62.
    13. Szocs, Courtney & Lefebvre, Sarah, 2017. "Spread or stacked? Vertical versus horizontal food presentation, portion size perceptions, and consumption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 249-257.
    14. Nancy Spears & Seth Ketron & Kirsten Cowan, 2016. "The sweet taste of consistency in brand name sound & product/label shapes: Investigating appetitive responses in a dessert context and obstacles that suppress," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(4), pages 439-456, July.
    15. Ketron, Seth, 2018. "Perceived Product Sizes in Visually Complex Environments," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 154-166.
    16. Courtney Szocs & Dipayan Biswas, 2016. "Tasting in 2D: implications of food shape, visual cues, and oral haptic sensory inputs," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 753-764, December.
    17. Krishna, Aradhna & Cian, Luca & Aydınoğlu, Nilüfer Z., 2017. "Sensory Aspects of Package Design," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 43-54.
    18. Bublitz, Melissa G. & Peracchio, Laura A. & Andreasen, Alan R. & Kees, Jeremy & Kidwell, Blair & Miller, Elizabeth Gelfand & Motley, Carol M. & Peter, Paula C. & Rajagopal, Priyali & Scott, Maura L. &, 2013. "Promoting positive change: Advancing the food well-being paradigm," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1211-1218.

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