Can Toy Premiums Induce Healthy Eating?

Toy premiums are a marketing strategy used to promote unhealthy food to children. The research shown in this chapter aimed at seeing if they could be used instead to promote healthy eating habits in children 6–11 years old. As children grow, their appreciation for healthy meals and toys decreases, but their enjoyment of collections increases, and therefore we would expect that at least collectible toy premiums would be effective. The study consisted of presenting children with healthy food paired with a toy premium and measuring children’s attitudes towards healthy food and toy premiums and their purchase intentions of the healthy meal. Results suggest that pairing healthy food with any toy premium is not effective in promoting healthy eating behaviors, the main reason being the initial highly positive attitude towards healthy food.