TikTok and formal videos influence food purchasing intentions

The way food is presented in video can influence purchasing decisions. A study conducted by researchers at the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC) concludes that both formal content and videos inspired by TikTok can increase interest in purchasing healthy and sustainable foods, although each format works through a different mechanism.

Published in the journal 'Food Quality and Preference', the study found that videos using the visual style and language associated with TikTok have a direct effect on purchasing intention. Formal content, by contrast, mainly exerts an indirect influence by strengthening trust in the information and improving perceptions of the product's characteristics.

Trust in the source delivering the message is one of the study's central elements. When consumers trust the person or organisation providing the information, they tend to view the food's health and sustainability attributes more positively. However, the two perceptions produce different effects: considering a product healthy is associated with a higher purchasing intention, whereas perceiving it as sustainable did not have the same effect.

THE ROLE OF VIDEO IN CONSUMER DECISIONS

The study comes against the backdrop of the growing importance of audiovisual content on social media. According to data collected by the IATA-CSIC, videos published in 2026 by food influencers are estimated to generate more than 420 billion monthly views across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

The research was led by Amparo Tárrega and Thuy Ung Pham from the Sensiata laboratory, part of the IATA-CSIC's Perception and Consumer Behaviour and Adapted Nutrition group. The aim was to determine the extent to which source credibility and perceptions of health and sustainability benefits influence acceptance of a message and subsequent purchasing intention.

The study involved 85 people living in Spain, aged between 18 and 64. Each participant took part in two sessions, separated by at least two weeks.

During both sessions, participants were shown a fictional product: bread enriched with plant-based proteins. Information about its nutritional and sustainability attributes was presented through two different videos. One followed a conventional scientific communication format, while the other reproduced the characteristics commonly associated with TikTok videos.

The formal video featured a woman portraying a food researcher and used a neutral tone. The TikTok-inspired video adopted a more emotional approach, using elements such as animation, changes of setting and a presentation style associated with a content creator.

Despite their stylistic differences, both videos provided the same information about ingredients, nutritional characteristics, sustainability and available flavours. The researchers also varied the order in which health and sustainability messages were presented in order to minimise potential bias.

After watching each video, participants rated their trust in the information and their purchasing intention using five-point scales. Perceptions of health and sustainability were assessed using seven-point scales.

GREATER TRUST IN THE FORMAL FORMAT

The results show that the conventional video received a higher trust rating. Its average score was 3.94 out of 5, compared with 3.60 for the TikTok-inspired content.

The formal format also produced slightly higher scores for perceptions related to both health and sustainability. However, this advantage did not translate directly into a higher purchasing intention.

For this indicator, the TikTok-style video achieved an average score of 3.70 out of 5, compared with 3.58 for the formal format.

The researchers' analysis suggests that this difference stems from the mechanisms through which each type of content influences consumers. In the case of the formal video, two statistically significant indirect pathways were identified: one directly linked to trust and another in which trust leads to a stronger perception of health benefits and subsequently to greater purchasing intention.

TWO WAYS OF INFLUENCING CONSUMERS

Thuy Ung Pham, a predoctoral researcher at the IATA-CSIC, explains that the findings point to two different mechanisms. TikTok-inspired content appears to work mainly through a peripheral route, relying on elements such as visual appeal and the ability to capture attention quickly.

The formal format, by contrast, is associated with deeper processing of information. This mechanism encourages consumers to consider more carefully the benefits the product may offer in terms of both health and sustainability.

The study also highlights the importance of the person or organisation delivering the message. Trust in the source affects how consumers interpret the benefits attributed to the food, making credibility an important prerequisite for effective communication.

The researchers also identified a significant difference between health and sustainability. Although consumers may recognise and value the environmental benefits of a food product, that perception does not necessarily affect their purchasing intention. The connection is clearer when the perceived benefits are related to health.

According to Amparo Tárrega, a researcher at the IATA-CSIC, these findings may be useful for food marketing professionals, health communication specialists and public policymakers.

Among the recommendations arising from the study is the inclusion of information provided by experts in audiovisual content designed to communicate health and sustainability benefits. The aim would be to increase the credibility of the message and give consumers sufficient information to make informed decisions.

When it comes specifically to sustainability, the researchers believe that communication should explain more clearly how these benefits affect consumers themselves if they are to have a greater influence on purchasing decisions.