Anchored in Sole Ingredient Concentration: Numerical Values and Consumer Perceptions of Healthfulness and Quality

ABSTRACT Numerical values often serve as anchors in consumer evaluations, potentially shaping perceptions even in the absence of objective reference points. This research introduces the Concentrated Effect, which posits that numerical values indicating the amount of a sole ingredient in a food product can enhance perceptions of ingredient concentration. Across a series of studies, we investigate the implications of this effect on healthfulness and product quality evaluations. Study 1 demonstrates that the presence of a numerical value, irrespective of its numerosity (e.g., less numerous as in pounds vs. more numerous as in ounces), increases healthfulness perceptions compared to when no numerical value is provided, supporting the Concentrated Effect. Study 2 reveals that healthfulness perceptions mediate the effect of numerical values on product quality, but this effect is minimized when a Health Star Rating serves as an external anchor, highlighting the role of competing cues. Study 3 examines an unhealthy product (corn syrup) as a boundary condition, finding that while numerical values anchor perceptions of ingredient concentration, their influence on healthfulness and product quality is nullified due to negative health associations. Together, these findings advance our understanding of how numerical values function as anchors in non‐comparative contexts, shedding light on their limitations and practical implications for marketing and policy.