Cosmetic Imperfection Acceptance
The finding that shoppers accept colour-related imperfections in produce more readily than shape imperfections.
What it is
In a survey of 3,504 US consumers, colour imperfections were accepted and shape imperfections generally were not, and price discounts were the second most important factor in acceptance. It is drawn from work by C. J. Lagerkvist and colleagues (2022).
In effect
In the article on skipping ugly fruit, a discount mattered for colour flaws and not for shape flaws.
What it does not say
The finding comes from one survey of consumers in the United States and compares colour flaws with shape flaws. It does not cover other kinds of flaw or other countries.
Sources
- Lagerkvist, C. J., Edenbrandt, A. K., Bolos, L. A., & Nayga, R. M. (2022). Consumer acceptance of aesthetically imperfect vegetables: The role of information framing and personal values. Evidence from the United States. Food Quality and Preference, 104, 104737.