MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Effect on consumers’ sustainable purchase intention of dietary supplement purine labeling

Summary

This study examined how labeling the purine content on dietary supplements affects whether consumers continue buying them long-term. Researchers found that clearly showing purine levels encourages people to make sustainable choices, especially those concerned about gout or similar health conditions. The effect works by making health-conscious consumers more aware of potential risks and connecting their purchases to both personal health and environmental values.

Background

Nutritional labeling of dietary supplements plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer behavior. Previous studies have extensively examined various food labels but have largely ignored the impact of purine labeling on consumer sustainable consumption intentions, particularly for managing health conditions like gout and hyperuricemia.

Objective

This study recruited 1,786 participants through six experiments to explore the effects of purine labeling on consumers’ sustainable purchase intentions, underlying mechanisms, and boundary conditions. The research aimed to fill gaps in understanding how purine content transparency influences long-term consumer purchasing decisions.

Results

Purine labeling significantly enhanced consumers’ sustainable purchase intentions (H1). Health consciousness mediated this relationship (H2). Disease threat moderated the effect (H3), as did fear of risk (H4). Perceived gout susceptibility mediated the relationship (H5), and connection of nature moderated the effect (H6).

Conclusion

This comprehensive study demonstrates that purine labeling effectively influences sustainable purchase intentions through multiple psychological mechanisms including health consciousness, perceived disease threat, and environmental connection. The findings provide empirical support for developing more effective labeling design and promotional strategies to promote sustainable consumer behavior in dietary supplement markets.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Nutrition,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMC12173902, PMID: 40535036, doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1526713
Scroll to Top