Health Consciousness and Clean-Label Signaling in Functional Snack Consumption: A Moderated Multi-Group Analysis of Income Effects Across Baby and General Snack Markets

Abstract

This study examines how health consciousness and product signaling influence consumer responses to functional snack
products. Drawing on signaling theory and perceived value theory, the study proposes that clean-label perception and
functional claims enhance perceived nutritional value, which subsequently affects purchase intention and willingness to pay a
premium. Data were collected from 512 respondents consisting of parents purchasing baby snacks and general snack
consumers. The analysis employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with moderation and
multi-group analysis (Hair et al., 2022). The results indicate that clean-label perception and functional claims significantly
increase perceived nutritional value. Furthermore, perceived nutritional value positively influences purchase intention, which
in turn drives willingness to pay a premium. Income strengthens the relationship between purchase intention and willingness
to pay, while the structural relationships are stronger among baby snack consumers. The findings highlight that the
transformation of health consciousness into economic behavior depends on both contextual consumption factors and financial
capacity.