Treat yourself: Food delivery apps and the interplay between justification for use and food well‐being

Abstract

AbstractThis study examines the relationship between justification for use and well‐being in respect to mobile food delivery apps (FDA). Adopting an interpretivist qualitative approach, the study offers contributions to the FDA and food well‐being literature by uncovering four groups of licensing effects that consumers use in justifying FDA use. Those licensing effects can have either positive or negative influence on consumers' well‐being depending on the degree to which consumers engage in self‐regulation, awareness, and conscious managing of their relationship with food. The study also unravels the importance of dealing with the tensions between FDA use and well‐being by shedding light on feelings of guilt and financial anxiety related to FDA use.