Happiness or not? Impacts of multi-stage consumption on the consumer affective response in the use of aesthetic foods

This study examines the influence of Centrality of Visual Product Aesthetics (CVPA) on multi-stage food consumption and emotions under aesthetic disruption, assessing how CVPA affects consumption and whether food aesthetics moderate these behaviours and emotional responses.

Data were collected using qualitative interviews and quantitative experimental designs, employing a moderated mediation model for statistical analysis.

Consumers with higher CVPA are more likely to adopt multi-stage consumption for higher aesthetic food, generating greater positive emotions, both in personal experiences and when viewing food bloggers' posts.

This study introduces the novel concept of “multi-stage consumption” and investigates its origins and outcomes.