The aim of this study is to compare the impact of 5 different types of front of package (FOP) food and beverage labels: 1) calorie labels \[control\], 2) green labels on healthy foods, 3) red/yellow/green labels on less healthy/moderately healthy/healthy foods, 4) physical activity calorie equivalent labels, and 5) "High in" nutrient warning labels) on consumers' beverage and snack selections.
This project involves an online randomized experiment. We are working with an external survey company that will recruit 8,000 participants to complete an online survey in which they will be randomized to one of the five different label conditions: 1) calorie labels (control condition); 2) single green traffic light labels (on healthy foods); 3) multiple traffic light labels (red traffic light labels applied to less healthy foods, yellow applied to moderately healthy foods, and green on healthy foods); 4) physical activity labels (calorie content displayed in terms of physical activity equivalents); 5) "High in" warnings (applied to all products exceeding thresholds for calories, saturated fat, sugar, or sodium content). Participants will be instructed to select products to purchase in a mock vending machine. After purchasing their products, they will be asked to answer questions about their perceptions of the different labels.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
8,145
Calories for all beverages and foods
Green labels only for beverages and foods scored as healthy
All beverages and foods labeled as either healthy (green), moderately healthy (yellow), or less healthy (red)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Number of Participants Purchasing Beverages With Calories
Participants will select a beverage to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is binary: purchased a beverage with calories or not.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Calories Purchased From Beverages, if Beverage With Calories Chosen
Participants will select a beverage to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is calories in beverage chosen to purchase - only for those participants who chose a beverage with calories.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Calories Purchased From Snacks
Participants will select a snack to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is calories in snacks chosen to purchase.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Likelihood of Selecting a Healthy Beverage
Participants will select a beverage to purchase in the virtual store. Outcome is percentage of people selecting a healthy beverage (green labeled in the traffic light condition)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Likelihood of Selecting a Moderately Healthy Beverage
Participants will select a beverage to purchase in the virtual store. Outcome is percentage of people selecting a moderately healthy beverage (yellow labeled in the traffic light condition)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Likelihood of Selecting a Less Healthy Beverage
Participants will select a beverage to purchase in the virtual store. Outcome is percentage of people selecting a less healthy beverage (red labeled in the traffic light condition)
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
All beverages and foods labeled with physical activity required to burn their calories
Warning labels only for beverages and foods that exceed the thresholds for sugar, sodium, saturated fat, or calorie content
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Likelihood of Selecting a Healthy Snack
Participants will select a snack to purchase in the virtual store. Outcome is percentage of people selecting a healthy snack (green labeled in the traffic light condition)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Likelihood of Selecting a Moderately Healthy Snack
Participants will select a snack to purchase in the virtual store. Outcome is percentage of people selecting a moderately healthy snack (yellow labeled in the traffic light condition)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Likelihood of Selecting a Less Healthy Snack
Participants will select a snack to purchase in the virtual store. Outcome is percentage of people selecting a less healthy snack (red labeled in the traffic light condition)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Saturated Fat Purchased From Beverages
Participants will select a beverage to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is saturated fat in beverage chosen to purchase.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Sodium Purchased From Beverages
Participants will select a beverage to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is sodium in beverage chosen to purchase.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Total Sugar Purchased From Beverages
Participants will select a beverage to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is total sugar in beverage chosen to purchase.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Saturated Fat Purchased From Snacks
Participants will select a snack to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is saturated fat in snack chosen to purchase.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Sodium Purchased From Snacks
Participants will select a snack to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is sodium in snack chosen to purchase.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Total Sugar Purchased From Snacks
Participants will select a snack to purchase from the online vending machine. Outcome is total sugar in snack chosen to purchase.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Healthiness of a Healthy Beverage
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "very unhealthy" to "very healthy".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Healthiness of a Moderately Healthy Beverage
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "very unhealthy" to "very healthy".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Healthiness of a Less Healthy Beverage
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "very unhealthy" to "very healthy".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Healthiness of a Healthy Snack
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "very unhealthy" to "very healthy".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Healthiness of a Moderately Healthy Snack
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "very unhealthy" to "very healthy".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Healthiness of a Less Healthy Snack
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "very unhealthy" to "very healthy".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Noticing Trial Labels
Participants will respond "yes," "no," or "not sure" to the item: "When you were selecting a beverage and a snack, did you notice any other nutrition labels on or next to the products?"
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Degree of Perceived Label Influence on Beverage Selection
Participants will respond on a 5-point scale ranging from "Not at all" to "A great deal" to the item: "How much did you use this label to help you decide what beverage to buy?"
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Degree of Perceived Label Influence on Snack Selection
Participants will respond on a 5-point scale ranging from "Not at all" to "A great deal" to the item: "How much did you use this label to help you decide what snack to buy?"
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Trust in Labels
Item: "How much do you trust or distrust the information on this label?". Responses will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale from "completely distrust" to "completely trust".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Reactance to Labels
We will examine the average reactance to the label (said the label is trying to manipulate me, or annoys me). Each reactance item will be scored on a 5-pt likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Attention to Labels
Item: "How much does this label grab your attention?". Responses will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Learned From Labels
Item: "To what extent did you learn something new from this label?". Responses will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Thinking About Health Effects
Item: "How much does this label make you think about the health effects of food and beverages?". Responses will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal"
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Discouragement
We will examine if they said the label discourages them from choosing unhealthy products. This item will be scored on a 5-pt likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal"
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Encouragement
We will examine if they said the label encourages them to choose healthy products. This item will be scored on a 5-pt likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal"
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Negative Emotional Reactions
We will examine the average negative emotional response to the label (said the label made them feel worried, scared, guilty, ashamed, or sad). Each emotion will be scored on a 5-pt likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Control in Response to Labels
Participants will respond to the item "Overall does this label make you feel…" with one of 3 responses: "less in control of making healthy eating decisions", "more in control of healthy eating decisions", or "neither less nor more in control of making healthy eating decisions"
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Personal Stigmatization
Participants will respond to the item "How personally stigmatized does this label make you feel?" on a 5-pt likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Obesity Stigma
We will examine the average stigma response to the label (the label stigmatizes people with obesity, the label increases blame toward people for being overweight). Each stigma item will be scored on a 5-pt likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Disgust Toward People With Obesity
Participants will respond to the item "How disgusted do people with obesity make you feel?" on a 5-pt likert scale from "not at all" to "a great deal".
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.