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Robertson, Aoife (2025) Investigating whether Irish parents’ purchasing behaviour regarding breakfast cereals is swayed by the ‘health halo’. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.
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Abstract
This study will investigate whether Irish parents’ purchasing behavior is swayed by the “health halo” effect when purchasing breakfast cereals for their children. The term “health halo” refers to a cognitive bias in which consumers may overlook less favorable characteristics in a product in favor of a single nutritional claim, such a “high in iron” or “low in sodium”. This research examines perceptions that Irish parents have regarding the nutritional values of breakfast cereals. Such research has not been conducted in Ireland before and could provide an insight for marketers and governmental agencies in policies on nutritional claims in the future.
A phenomenological approach was employed in this research, utilising in-depth interviews with six parents of children aged 6 to 12. Thematic coding was used to highlight key themes relevant to the research objectives. The qualitative research approach examined the relationship between “health halo” claims, purchase behaviour, and nutritional literacy. Qualitative research gives the opportunity to gauge a deeper understanding of parents’ convictions, motives, and trade-offs between health and other factors such as brand familiarity, child's taste preferences and price. Findings indicated that all parents had been deceived by the health halo effect in the past and there was a reliance on governmental intervention to prevent such practices. Results suggest that the presence of specific health claims can significantly influence parents’ decisions, although all parents show strong intentions to adopt healthier options. These findings emphasise the need for more thorough and precise front-of-pack information to mitigate the effects of the health halo, which has implications for labelling legislation, public health policy, and consumer education.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Supervisors: | Name Email Bane, Michael UNSPECIFIED |
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Consumer Behaviour H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Specific Industries > Food Industry R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine > Personal Health and Hygiene |
| Divisions: | School of Business (- 2025) > Master of Science in Marketing |
| Depositing User: | Ciara O'Brien |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Feb 2026 12:24 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Feb 2026 12:24 |
| URI: | https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9148 |
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