This online randomized clinical trial will test the effects of restaurant menu carbon footprint labels on consumers' choices and perceptions of restaurant menu items.
This online randomized clinical trial will test the effects of restaurant menu carbon footprint labels on consumers' choices and perceptions of restaurant menu items. Participants will be randomized to see a restaurant menu with one of two labeling schemes: 1) Control: calorie labels only; 2) Carbon footprint labels in addition to calorie labels. Participants will be instructed to select an entree to hypothetically order from an online restaurant menu. After selecting, they will be asked to answer questions about their perceptions of menu items and carbon footprint labels.The primary outcome will be the average carbon footprint of menu items chosen from the online menu.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
2,389
Calories for all foods and beverages
Carbon footprint labels for all foods and beverages
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Carbon footprint of selected menu item
Participants will select a menu item to purchase from the online restaurant menu. Outcome is carbon footprint of selected item.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Calories in selected menu item
Participants will select a menu item to purchase from the online restaurant menu. Outcome is calorie content of selected item.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived enjoyment of high-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from not at all (1) to a great deal (5)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived enjoyment of low-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from not at all (1) to a great deal (5)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived likelihood to order high-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from not at all likely (1) to extremely likely (5)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived likelihood to order low-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from not at all likely (1) to extremely likely (5)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived healthfulness of high-carbon-footprint menu item
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from not at all healthy (1) to extremely healthy (5)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived healthfulness of low-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from not at all healthy (1) to extremely healthy (5)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Estimated calories in high-carbon-footprint menu item
Open response variable
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Estimated calories in low-carbon-footprint menu item
Open response variable
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived carbon footprint of high-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured with three multiple choice options: larger, smaller, or about the same carbon footprint compared to the typical menu item's carbon footprint
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived carbon footprint of low-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured with three multiple choice options: larger, smaller, or about the same carbon footprint compared to the typical menu item's carbon footprint
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived lowering of carbon footprint for high-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from not at all (1) to a great deal (5)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived lowering of carbon footprint for low-carbon-footprint menu item
This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from not at all (1) to a great deal (5)
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Noticing carbon footprint labels
Participants will respond "yes," "no," or "I don't know" to the item: "Think back to the beginning of this survey. When you were looking at the Just Salad menu, did you notice any labels (other than calorie information or price) next to or beneath the food items?"
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Label influence
If participants responded "yes" to noticing labels, they will respond to "How did the label alone (not the calorie information or price) influence what you chose to order, if at all? The label…" with three options: more likely, less likely, or no effect
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Perceived Message Effectiveness of labels
Three items averaged together: How much does this label discourage you from wanting to eat foods with a larger carbon footprint? \[1-5: Not at all, very little, somewhat, quite a bit, a great deal\] How much does this label make you concerned about the environmental effects of eating foods that have a larger carbon footprint? \[1-5: Not at all, very little, somewhat, quite a bit, a great deal\] How much does this label make eating foods with a larger carbon footprint seem unpleasant to you? \[1-5: Not at all, very little, somewhat, quite a bit, a great deal\]
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Believability of labels
Item: How much do you believe this label? \[1-5: Not at all, very little, somewhat, quite a bit, a great deal\]
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? \[1-5: Not at all, very little, somewhat, quite a bit, a great deal\]
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Talk about labels with others
Item: How likely are you to talk about this label with others? \[Likert scale from not at all likely (1) to extremely likely (5)\]
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.
Understand the labels
Item: How easy or difficult was it to understand this label? \[Likert scale from very easy (1) to extremely difficult (5)\]
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes.