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Taillie LS, Wolfson JA, Prestemon CE, Bercholz M, Ewoldt L, Ruggles PR, Hall MG. The impact of an eco-score label on US consumers' perceptions of environmental sustainability and intentions to purchase food: A randomized experiment. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306123. [PMID: 38935699 PMCID: PMC11210794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Front-of-package labels indicating a product's environmental footprint (i.e., eco-score labels) offer promise to shift consumers towards more sustainable food choices. This study aimed to understand whether eco-score labels impacted consumers' perceptions of environmental sustainability and intentions to purchase sustainable and unsustainable foods. US parents (n = 1,013) completed an online experiment in which they were shown 8 food products (4 sustainable and 4 unsustainable). Participants were randomized to a control (n = 503, barcode on product packaging) or eco-score label group (n = 510, eco-score label on product packaging). The eco-score label was color-coded with a grade of A-F based on the product's environmental footprint, where "A" indicates relative sustainability and "F" indicates relative unsustainability. Participants rated each product's environmental sustainability and their future likelihood of purchase. We used multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models and examined moderation by product category and sociodemographic characteristics. The eco-score label lowered perceived sustainability of unsustainable products by 13% in relative terms or -0.4 in absolute terms (95% CI -0.5, -0.3; p<0.001). The eco-score label increased perceived sustainability of sustainable products by 16% in relative terms or 0.6 in absolute terms (95% CI 0.5, 0.7, p<0.001). Effects on purchase intentions were smaller, with a 6% decrease for unsustainable products (p = 0.001) and an 8% increase for sustainable products (p<0.001). For unsustainable products, the effect of eco-score labels on sustainability perceptions was greater for older adults, men, participants with higher educational attainment, and participants with higher incomes. For sustainable products, the effect of ecolabels on sustainability perceptions was greater for those with higher educational attainment. Eco-score labels have the potential to direct consumers towards more sustainable products. Future studies should investigate eco-score label effectiveness on behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Smith Taillie
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Julia A. Wolfson
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Carmen E. Prestemon
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Maxime Bercholz
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Laina Ewoldt
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Phoebe R. Ruggles
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Marissa G. Hall
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
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Mora-Plazas M, Higgins ICA, Gomez LF, Hall MG, Parra MF, Bercholz M, Murukutla N, Taillie LS. Impact of nutrient warning labels on Colombian consumers' selection and identification of food and drinks high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303514. [PMID: 38857209 PMCID: PMC11164358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study assessed the impact of nutrient warnings on product selection and ability to identify food products high in nutrients of concern in Colombia. METHODS In an online experiment (May-June 2023), Colombian adults were randomized to a nutrient warning, guideline daily amounts (GDA), Nutri-Score, or no-label condition (n = 8,004). Participants completed selection tasks between two fruit drinks labeled according to their condition, one high in sugar and one not. Next, participants answered questions about products high in sugar, sodium, and/or saturated fat ("high-in" product). Finally, they selected which label would most discourage them from consuming a high-in product. RESULTS Fewer participants (17%) exposed to the nutrient warning indicated they would purchase the high-sugar fruit drink compared to Nutri-Score (27%, Holm-adjusted (adj) p<0.001) and no label conditions (31%, adj p<0.001); there were no differences between the nutrient warning and GDA label (14%, adj p = 0.087). Compared to the nutrient warning, the GDA label was slightly more effective at helping consumers identify which drink was high in sugar (89% versus 92%, adj p<0.001), while the Nutri-Score and no-label conditions were less effective. Compared to all other conditions, nutrient warnings were more effective at helping participants identify that products were high in nutrients of concern, were more effective at decreasing intentions to purchase these high-in products and were perceived as more effective. Nutrient warnings were most often selected as the label that most discouraged consumption. CONCLUSIONS Nutrient warnings are a promising policy to help consumers identify and discourage consumption of products high in nutrients of concern. TRIAL REGISTRATION Trial Registration: NCT05783726.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Mora-Plazas
- Departamento de Nutrición Humana, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia, United States of America
| | - Isabella Carolyn Aida Higgins
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Luis Fernando Gomez
- Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia, United States of America
| | - Marissa G. Hall
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Maria Fernanda Parra
- Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia, United States of America
| | - Maxime Bercholz
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | | | - Lindsey Smith Taillie
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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Ruby MB, Graça J, Olli E. Vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based? Comparing how different labels influence consumer evaluations of plant-based foods. Appetite 2024; 197:107288. [PMID: 38467193 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Market actors have a role to play in enabling sustainable food transitions. One challenge for these actors is how to promote plant-based foods in ways that appeal to a growing number of consumers. Here we test how different plant-based related labels affect consumer appraisals of a range of foods (cookies, sausages, cheese, chocolate, pasta). In two studies (pre-registered; NUSA = 1148, NGermany = 491), we examined the effects of a 'vegetarian', 'vegan', or 'plant-based' label (compared to no label) on five attributes (healthy, tasty, ethical, pure, environmentally friendly) related to the products. We also measured self-reported likelihood to purchase the products. Overall, the results indicated that the 'plant-based' label was slightly more appealing to participants than the 'vegetarian' and 'vegan' labels. However, contrary to our expectations, neither consumers' information-seeking tendencies nor their pre-existing attitudes toward plant-based foods influenced (i.e., moderated) the effects of the labels. Anticipated taste was a strong and consistent predictor of purchase likelihood for all labeled products, but the ethical and pure attributes also accounted for unique variance in this outcome variable. Taken together, our findings and discussion provide insights into the role of labels and label terminology on consumer appraisals of plant-based foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Ruby
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia.
| | - João Graça
- University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa (ICS-ULisboa), Lisboa, Portugal
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Choi Y, Kim HJ, Park J, Lee SW, Rahmati M, Koyanagi A, Smith L, Kim MS, López Sánchez GF, Dragioti E, Lee J, Rhee SY, Kim S, Lim H, Yon DK. National prevalence and trends in food labeling awareness, comprehension, usage, and COVID-19 pandemic-related factors in South Korea, 2014-2022. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2617. [PMID: 38297021 PMCID: PMC10831073 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51948-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Although food labeling on food packages is crucial for promoting a healthy diet, limited research has been conducted on how the COVID-19 pandemic (hereinafter "the pandemic") has affected food labeling awareness. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the changes in trends in food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage in South Korea during the pandemic. We utilized a nationwide, large-scale, and long-term dataset provided by the Korea Community Health Survey (KCHS) from 2014 to 2022 (total = 1,756,847 participants). This allowed the researchers to assess the long-term trends in the prevalence of food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage. Furthermore, we investigated the factors associated with awareness specifically related to the pandemic. In total, 1,756,847 adults (54.19% women) participated in this study. The upward slope in overall food labeling awareness became less pronounced and even exhibited a downward slope during the pandemic (βdiff - 1.759; 95% CI - 1.874 to - 1.644). The upward slope in food labeling comprehension and usage became more pronounced during the pandemic (comprehension: βdiff 0.535; 95% CI 0.436-0.634; usage: βdiff 0.693; 95% CI 0.601-0.785). The vulnerability factors associated with lower food labeling awareness during the pandemic included older age, male, obesity, residing in rural areas, lower household income, lower educational level, smoking, and increased alcohol consumption. This study analyzed the 9-year trend in the prevalence of food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage based on nationally representative data of adults in South Korea from 2014 to 2022. Our findings suggest that personalized nutrition strategies are needed to recognize vulnerable groups with risk factors and improve food labeling awareness among Korean adults during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujin Choi
- Center for Digital Health, Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyeon Jin Kim
- Center for Digital Health, Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
- Department of Regulatory Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Jaeyu Park
- Center for Digital Health, Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Regulatory Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung Won Lee
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Masoud Rahmati
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Ai Koyanagi
- Research and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lee Smith
- Centre for Health, Performance and Wellbeing, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Min Seo Kim
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Guillermo F López Sánchez
- Division of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Elena Dragioti
- Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Research Laboratory Psychology of Patients, Families, and Health Professionals, Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Jinseok Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, South Korea
| | - Sang Youl Rhee
- Center for Digital Health, Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sunyoung Kim
- Department of Family Medicine, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyunjung Lim
- Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, South Korea.
- Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, 23 Kyungheedae-Ro, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul, 02447, South Korea.
| | - Dong Keon Yon
- Center for Digital Health, Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
- Department of Regulatory Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, 23 Kyungheedae-Ro, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul, 02447, South Korea.
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