Impact of health-related comparative advertising on willingness to pay organic food price premiums

Health information in advertising settings significantly shapes consumers’ perceptions and choices, especially as food safety concerns grow in the modern world. This study investigated how two types of health-related comparative advertising—statistical versus narrative—influence consumers’ willingness to pay price premiums (WTP) for organic food. Through three online experiments involving organic tomatoes, corn, and germ rice, which were completed by 328 participants cumulatively, we found that statistical, compared to narrative, comparative advertising led to higher WTP and enhanced brand credibility. Furthermore, consumers’ food safety concerns positively moderated the relationship between health-related comparative advertising and WTP. This research has introduced and empirically tested two novel levels of comparative advertising, enriching the literature on both consumer behavior and advertising. The findings offer valuable insights for firms in designing their brand communication and marketing strategies.