Framing, Tasting and Changes in Social Representations Shape Consumer Acceptance of Lavender Biscuits

ABSTRACT

This study investigated how the framing of lavender biscuits as a non‐conventional food plant (PANC) product, combined with sensory experience, influences expectations, acceptance, and the reconfiguration of social representations. A between‐subjects experiment was conducted with 150 Brazilian consumers allocated to two experimental conditions: without emphasis on PANC (P1) and emphasizing PANC (P2). Evaluations were performed before and after tasting and included free word association, as well as measures of trust, purchase intention, and flavor expectation. The results indicate that framing the product as a PANC functioned as an ambivalent cue, simultaneously activating positive associations, such as naturalness and innovation, and perceptions of uncertainty. Before tasting, P2 showed greater activation of symbolic attributes, whereas P1 was more strongly associated with hedonic expectations. After tasting, a reconfiguration of representations was observed in both conditions, characterized by greater centrality of sensory attributes and increased positive polarity, indicating a recalibration of expectations. Sensory experience reduced initial ambiguity and promoted greater convergence in evaluations. The findings demonstrate that informational framing influences not only initial acceptance but also the structure of social representations, with its effects being partially moderated by sensory experience. From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes by integrating framing and tasting as interdependent stages in the construction of meaning. From a practical standpoint, the results highlight the importance of communication strategies that balance innovation and familiarity when introducing unconventional foods.