“Don’t judge a book by its cover”: enhancing perceived quality and purchase intention of ugly food via retailers’ strategies

Purpose Retailers play a crucial role in addressing food waste by promoting consumer acceptance of “ugly” or imperfect produce. This study investigates the impact of marketing communication tactics on ugly food consumption and explores the moderating effect of consumers’ price consciousness, offering insights into how these strategies can contribute to reducing food waste. Design/methodology/approach Guided by the S-O-R framework, empirical data from 509 customers on ugly food were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings The results show that three marketing tactics – anthropomorphism, traceability information and product sampling – significantly improve various dimensions of perceived quality of ugly food, leading to greater purchase intentions. Furthermore, the study reveals that price consciousness moderates the relationship between perceived quality and purchase intention, thereby influencing the effectiveness of these marketing efforts. Originality/value With global food waste reaching alarming levels, this study sheds light on how retailers can leverage marketing strategies to change consumer perceptions of imperfect produce. By encouraging the adoption of ugly food, these strategies can directly support food waste reduction efforts and promote sustainable consumption practices.