Halo and Horn Effects of Labels

Halo and Horn Effects of Labels

Reviewed by Faisal Zaidi

A label can lift perception of a product beyond its claim, as a halo does, or lower it on other qualities, as a horn does.

What it is

In a protein bar experiment, a nutrient word in the title raised perceived healthfulness through unclaimed qualities; in a separate online experiment with 218 participants, a high-protein label produced no general halo and labelled products were seen as more additive-laden and more processed, with attitudes toward protein products moderating the response.

In effect

In the article on why high protein sells, the same two words lifted perceived healthfulness in one setting and raised processing concerns in another.

What it does not say

The two experiments used different products and different settings, which is why they point in different directions. They do not say which reaction is more common among shoppers in general.

Sources

  1. Fernan, C., Schuldt, J. P., & Niederdeppe, J. (2018). Health halo effects from product titles and nutrient content claims in the context of protein bars. Health Communication, 33(12), 1425-1433.
  2. Capuano, C., Durand, F., & Besson, T. (2026). Halo or horn? The role of prior attitudes in shaping consumer responses to high-protein food labels. Food Quality and Preference, 148, 106095.
  3. Schouteten, J. J., De Steur, H., De Pelsmaeker, S., Lagast, S., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., & Gellynck, X. (2015). Impact of health labels on flavor perception and emotional profiling: A consumer study on cheese. Nutrients, 7(12).