1Associate Professor, School of Management, Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, India
2Trainee Faculty, IIHM Rockvale Kalimpong, Bengaluru, India
3Associate Professor, School of Commerce (PG), Mount Carmel College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, India, Email Id: sivakamir@mccblr.edu.in
As Indian consumers’ health awareness grows, packaged food brands are increasingly implementing health-based branding strategies such as health claims, nutrition labels, ingredient disclosures, and health-oriented packaging. However, the methods by which these branding characteristics are converted into purchase intention are unexplored, particularly in the case of traditional Indian ready-to-cook products like dosa mixtures.
This study investigates at how customers’ intentions to purchase healthy dosa mix brands are impacted by health-based branding. Specifically, it investigates consumers’ perceptions of health-based branding elements, the direct impact of health-based branding on purchase intention,the mediating role of perceived health benefits in the branding-purchase intention relationship, and the moderating role of health consciousness in strengthening this relationship.
A structured questionnaire was used in a quantitative, cross-sectional research design. Convenience sampling was used to gather information from 266 respondents in urban and semi-urban locations. Using a five-point Likert scale, the survey assessed perceptions of health-based branding, perceived health benefits, health consciousness, and purchase intention. Descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, Pearson correlation, linear regression, and mean comparison were used to examine the data.
All health-based branding elements were positively perceived by consumers, with the highest agreement (M = 3.93) going to wellness and functional benefits (e.g., millet-based, high-fibre). Repurchase intention emerged as the greatest predictor (R2 = 0.798), and health-based branding showed a substantial positive association with purchase intention (r = 0.807 to 0.893). The association between branding and purchasing intention was largely mediated by perceived health benefits (r = 0.765 with branding; r = 0.866 with purchase intention). Health consciousness increased the efficacy of health-based branding and had strong positive relationships with purchase intention (r = 0.607 to 0.676). Offerings and discounts had the least impact (r = 0.505), suggesting that for this market segment, health cues are more important than price promotions.
Health-Based Branding, Purchase Intention, Perceived Health Benefits, Health Consciousness, Consumer Perception
