Consumer Attitudes and Preferences for Healthy Boxed Meal Attributes in Taiwan: Evidence from a Choice Experiment

Consumers have realized the importance of a healthy diet, hoping to reduce the occurrence of obesity and chronic diseases. Therefore, healthy boxed meals with low calories and high protein are gaining attention. This study divided the attributes of healthy boxed meals into five categories, namely, taste, nutrition facts, traceability certification, carbon footprint label, and price, and investigated the relationship between consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) using a choice experiment. A purposive sampling procedure was used to collect 495 valid questionnaires. The results indicate the following: (1) when purchasing healthy boxed meals, the respondents were most concerned with traceability certification and nutrition facts; (2) the respondents were willing to pay a premium for meals with traceability certification (NTD 4.6) and nutrition facts (NTD 4.4); (3) respondents > 40 years with an average monthly salary of > NTD 30,000 who worked out regularly and were in the process of muscle building, fat loss, or weight control had higher WTP for meals with nutrition labels; and (4) female respondents who were 30-39 years old with a college or university education or above had higher WTP for meals with traceable ingredients. The results may help healthy boxed meal companies understand and pay attention to consumer needs, which will, in turn, provide a reference for future product development and marketing strategies.

Automated summary

Consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of a healthy diet and are looking for low-calorie, high-protein healthy boxed meals. This study examined consumer preferences and willingness to pay for healthy boxed meals, focusing on attributes such as taste, nutrition facts, traceability certification, carbon footprint label, and price. The results showed that consumers prioritize traceability certification and nutrition facts when purchasing healthy boxed meals. They are willing to pay a premium for meals with these attributes. Age, income, exercise habits, and specific health goals also influence consumers' willingness to pay for certain attributes.