Consumer Behavior and Regulation Biases: An Analysis of the Effect of Information on Food Consumption
Rita de Cássia Ribeiro, Edgar Gastón Jacobs Flores Filho, Ana Carolina Vieira de Freitas

Abstract
Opposite to what is assumed by legislators and regulators, not all the information provided is properly absorbed, processed and used by consumers. Such ideas seem acceptable, but they are in conflict with two self-evident truths assumed by the economy and the consumer's rights. The first refers to the assumption that people act rationally when making choices based on their preferences. The second deals with the singular importance of balanced information in consumer relations. In this article, using empirical methodology based on sensorial analysis of food, the authors rise up against these truths. When evaluating the preferences of students regarding the consumption of chocolates and the effect of the information “diet” in relation to these choices, important results were obtained. They may indicate the need for regulation changes and provide evidence that food preference does not always respect the basic postulates of rationality.

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