The effect of new‐product introduction on nutrition consumption: The case of Greek yogurt

Abstract True dietary change typically occurs through consumer preferences, and when changes in product attributes reflect these preferences, category‐level demand can be substantially rearranged. In this study, we show that a successful new product may fundamentally change the nature of an entire category, and change consumers' nutrient consumption by altering the nutrient content of the food products they consume. Greek yogurt, for example, offers a very different combination of nutrients relative to other types of yogurts. The fact that it was immediately successful after its introduction provides an example of a transformational new product—one that potentially changed the nutrient‐consumption profiles of yogurt buyers. We use a quasi‐experimental approach with propensity score matching (DiD + PSM) to identify the effect of introducing Greek yogurt on yogurt buyers’ nutrient consumption. We find that the introduction of Greek yogurt led to yogurt purchases with greater overall protein and calorie content, but lower fat and carbohydrate content. We use the case of Greek yogurt to show that a relatively simple innovative common consumer product can have far‐reaching implications for the nature of nutrients consumed from that category. Our findings point to the importance of information policies, and their interaction with consumer preferences, on changing dietary outcomes.