The master's thesis examines the impact of labelling “ugly” or imperfect products on consumer decisions when purchasing goods with defects, especially food of imperfect appearance, which otherwise remains edible but often ends up as waste. The research is based on the growing global problem of food waste and the need for sustainable consumer practices that include greater acceptance of imperfect products. The purpose of the research is to verify whether a marketing approach using ugly labels can contribute to reducing food waste by encouraging the purchase of visually unattractive products. In the theoretical part, we discuss sustainable consumer behaviour, the issue of food waste, the characteristics of imperfect products, and marketing strategies, with a central focus on humour and “ugly labelling” as a possible persuasive mechanism at the point of sale. The empirical part is based on a quantitative online survey (n=130), conducted on a convenience sample, which was used to examine the relationship between labels, discounts, and the intention to purchase imperfect products. The results show that most respondents would buy imperfect products at a price discount, and a significant proportion even without a discount if the purchase is presented as environmentally responsible. Ugly and witty labels demonstrably increase attention and purchase intention compared to neutral labelling, especially in combination with a moderate discount. The master's thesis thus offers empirical evidence that thoughtful labelling of imperfect products can contribute to sustainable consumption and the reduction of food waste.
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