Pinto, Diego CostaSimão, Sofia Alexandra Vieira2022-03-162022-03-162022-02-07http://hdl.handle.net/10362/134637Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Marketing IntelligenceNatural claims have been increasingly used by brands across a variety of product categories (e.g., personal care products) since consumers are becoming highly aware of what they consume and put into their bodies. The frequency of use of this type of claim suggests that they deliver strong competitive advantages. The main goal of this research is to investigate the influence of natural claims on consumers’ judgments and purchase intentions of personal care products and understand the impact of individual differences (health and environmental consciousness) on the natural-is-better bias and the health halos evoked by natural claims. A pre-study and an online experiment were conducted, with a total of 425 products analysed and 256 respondents. Results suggest that natural claims influence consumers’ product evaluations (perceived efficacy, perceived safety, and sensorial expectations), and perceived efficacy and sensorial expectations partially moderate the relationship between natural claims and purchase intentions. Furthermore, findings show that environmental consciousness moderates the effects of natural claims on consumers’ judgments of perceived efficacy. The findings extend previous literature in consumer behaviour and the natural-is-better bias by proving the existence of a bias for personal care products with natural claims. The implications for brands and policy makers are discussed.engNatural ClaimsPersonal CareNatural-is-better BiasHalo EffectsPurchase IntentionsProducts’ Perceptionsmaster thesis202966291