Does Deregulation of Health Claims on Functional Food Package Design Change Consumers' Purchase Behaviors?
(A2025-123996)

AUTHORS

HIROSHI ONISHI, Keio University

ABSTRACT

The Japanese government deregulated health claim legislation for functional food products in April 2015. A new healthy food category, called Kinousei (Foods with Functional Claims) brands, was introduced in addition to the incumbent category of Tokuho (Foods for Special Health Uses) brands which requires more rigid scientific evidence of health effects for an official approval. This research investigates the effects of the health claim deregulation for the functional yogurt package designs on consumers' purchase behaviors. We find the positive impacts of the health claim deregulation and healthy package design images among only consumers whose wellness consciousness is low, which results in purchasing Kinousei brands more than normal brands after the deregulation. Our analysis suggests that the health claim deregulation was an effective policy intervention in terms of increasing functional yogurt purchases and promoting public health especially among low wellness conscious consumers.