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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2013 Sep 1;104(5):e364–e368. doi: 10.17269/cjph.104.3957

Food Branding and Young Children’s Taste Preferences: A Reassessment

Charlene D Elliott 13,23,, Rebecca Carruthers Den Hoed 13, Martin J Conlon 13
PMCID: PMC6973791  PMID: 24183176

Abstract

Objectives

This study examines the effects of branding and packaging on young children’s taste preferences.

Methods

Preschool children aged 3 to 5 (n=65) tasted five pairs of identical foods in packaging from McDonald’s and in matched packaging that was either plain, Starbucks-branded, or colourful (but unbranded). Children were asked if the foods tasted the same or if one tasted better.

Results

Children preferred the taste of foods wrapped in decorative wrappings, relying more on aesthetics than on familiar branding when making their choices.

Conclusions

The findings suggest the need to explore questions beyond commercial advertising (and brand promotion) on television and other media platforms. More attention should be directed at the important role of packaging in directing children’s food preferences.

Key Words: Child, preschool, marketing, fast food, advertising as topic, taste perception

Footnotes

Acknowledgements: This study was supported by the BMO Financial Endowment in Healthy Living, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health (ACHRI). The lead author acknowledges the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Canada Research Chairs program and the Calgary Institute for the Humanities (CIH) for affording the opportunity to undertake this project.

Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

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