Concern over obesity finds policy makers struggling to understand marketing's role in food choice, but with a limited empirical base to inform them. Because food patterns established in childhood influence life-long patterns, toy premiums that may sway food preference are being questioned. The motivational pull of collectible toys is of particular interest in this discussion because repeated exposure to foods engendered by frequent purchases to obtain collectibles may establish food preference. Thus, Study 1 addresses the role of collectible toys as premiums accompanying food offerings. The authors show that these premiums influence children's attitudes toward both unhealthful and healthful meal offerings. In Study 2, a choice task reveals that a healthful meal is favored when it is paired with a collectible toy premium and the unhealthful meal is presented with no premium. Findings are discussed in terms of providing an evidence base for policy decisions.
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