Involvement Theory with Market Segmentation: Effect of False Functional Food Advertising on Purchase Intention

In certain cases, people’s health can be compromised or medical treatment delayed as a result of their misplaced belief in false advertisements and purchasing of functional foods. These advertisements can be divided into three distinct types of claims: nutrition, health, and reduction in disease risk. This study analysed how, after consumers realise advertising violations, their intention to purchase functional foods with different claims are affected by the degree of consumer involvement (product, advertising, and situational involvement) and region of residence. A total of 1046 survey responses were collected for analysis. The results reveal that both product and advertising involvement influence purchase intention through the mediation of situational involvement. Residents in nonnorthern regions of Taiwan exhibited a greater effect of overall involvement on purchase intention than did those in the north. In addition, products and advertisements with health claims had a stronger effect on purchase intention than did those with nutrition and disease risk reduction claims. The results indicate that, for functional foods and advertisements with nutrition and health claims, the effects of overall involvement on nonnorthern residents’ purchase intentions were greater than those on the northern residents, but for functional foods with disease risk reduction claims, the effects were greater on the northern residents’ purchase intentions.