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De Bauw M, Peracaula Moner A, Santa Cruz E, Vranken L. Please don't throw me in the briar patch! Empirical evidence on the role of instructional cues on eco-label usage in fish consumption decisions. Appetite 2024; 197:107291. [PMID: 38485058 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107291] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
While contributing to the conservation of natural fish stocks, the aquaculture sector imposes environmental repercussions. The growing popularity of colour-graded eco-labels in promoting pro-environmental practices in food production underscores the need for scientific insights into consumer responses to such labels, particularly with the imminent prospect of a harmonized European labelling framework. The existing literature, although limited and divergent, advocates for real-life testing with fresh, perishable food products, emphasizing the inadequacy of standalone labels and the necessity for complementary measures. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying how consumers process multi-coloured Front-of-Pack (FOP) labels remain ambiguous, with uncertainties regarding induced consumption shifts stemming from both deliberate information processing and less deliberate associations. This article presents findings from a randomized control trial conducted in a simulated fishmonger store in Derio, Bizkaia, Spain, involving 200 consumers. Participants selected various sea bass products out of multiple options. This task was subject to a 2 (Enviroscore: with vs without) x 2 (Supporting info on Enviroscore: with vs without) between-subject design, resulting in four treatment groups. A 16% increase in the likelihood of selecting lower-impact products was observed. Notably, this effect was evident only in the absence of supporting information on Enviroscore, and the observed impact could not be attributed to any indirect attention effect. In conclusion, Enviroscore exhibits potential in steering consumer choices toward more environmentally friendly aquaculture fish options, even in physical retail settings. However, these effects may be rooted in unconscious responses rather than deliberate environmental considerations, raising questions about the suitability of envisaged policy orientations encompassing disaggregated environmental, nutritional, animal welfare, and social welfare scores. Generalization of these findings warrants validation through further research encompassing a more comprehensive range of products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel De Bauw
- Division of Bio-economics, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Nutrition and Health Unit, Health Information Service, Directorate of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Aniol Peracaula Moner
- AZTI, Food Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Astondo Bidea, Edificio 609, 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Elena Santa Cruz
- AZTI, Food Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Astondo Bidea, Edificio 609, 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Liesbet Vranken
- Division of Bio-economics, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Pettigrew S, Jongenelis M, Maganja D, Hercberg S, Julia C. The Ability of Nutrition Warning Labels to Improve Understanding and Choice Outcomes Among Consumers Demonstrating Preferences for Unhealthy Foods. J Acad Nutr Diet 2024; 124:58-64.e1. [PMID: 37673335 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.08.135] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given growing interest in warning labels as a form of front-of-pack nutrition label, it is important to better understand the mechanisms via which these labels may exert their effects, especially among those making suboptimal food choices. OBJECTIVE The study aim was to assess the extent to which consumers with the weakest outcomes for objective understanding and choice in no-label conditions were able to improve their understanding and choices after exposure to warning labels on food product options. DESIGN Post-hoc analyses of the cross-sectional FOP-ICE (Front-of-Pack International Comparative Experimental) study data generated from an online survey that included simulated food choice and nutritional quality ranking scenarios. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING Participants included 3,680 adults from the following 18 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States. INTERVENTION Survey respondents selected their preferred product options and ranked foods according to their healthiness before and after exposure to mock breakfast cereal, cake, and pizza products displaying warning labels. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Objective understanding and food choice were measured. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED Within each product category, analyses were conducted on respondents who initially incorrectly identified the healthiest option and/or selected the unhealthiest option as their preferred choice. Significant differences between proportions selecting each understanding and choice response option were assessed using 2-sample z tests for proportions. RESULTS Salience of the warning labels was low; 46% reported noticing the labels while completing the survey. Just over one-third of those aware of the presence of warning labels were able to identify the least healthy option in the post-exposure condition. Approximately one-half reselected the least healthy option post exposure and just over one-fourth switched to the healthiest option. CONCLUSIONS The results indicated that warning labels can assist some consumers to improve their food quality assessments and choices. However, design improvements could enhance the salience and interpretability of this label format.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Pettigrew
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Michelle Jongenelis
- Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Damian Maganja
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Serge Hercberg
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team, Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center, Universite Paris Cite, Paris, France; Public Health Department, Avicenne Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Bobigny, France
| | - Chantal Julia
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team, Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center, Universite Paris Cite, Paris, France; Public Health Department, Avicenne Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Bobigny, France
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Steiner K, Florack A. The Influence of Packaging Color on Consumer Perceptions of Healthfulness: A Systematic Review and Theoretical Framework. Foods 2023; 12:3911. [PMID: 37959030 PMCID: PMC10648973 DOI: 10.3390/foods12213911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
When consumers evaluate a new product, packaging design plays a critical role. In particular, packaging color is a dominant design cue that influences consumer perception of a product. Several studies have investigated the influence of color on taste. However, there is limited research on the influence of packaging color on consumer health perception. As healthy eating is a focus for many consumers and public decision-makers, more knowledge is needed. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of empirical studies that have investigated the influence of packaging color on consumers' health perceptions and to provide a psychological explanation for the observed effects. The systematic review includes 20 empirical studies across different product groups. The results show that packaging color influences consumers' health perceptions. We argue that the influence of packaging color on consumer health perceptions can be explained by the following mechanisms, which are not mutually exclusive: (1) consumers rely on a color as an explicit signal for health; (2) colors are associated with beliefs that indirectly influence health assessments; and (3) colors trigger mental simulations that influence health assessments. In addition, we provide suggestions for further research that will contribute to a better understanding of when and how packaging color can help consumers make healthier food choices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arnd Florack
- Department of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria;
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Graham DJ, Lucas-Thompson RG, Slejko G. The Role of Front-of-Package Nutrition Labels with and without Explanatory Videos on Parent and Child Food Choices. Nutrients 2023; 15:4082. [PMID: 37764865 PMCID: PMC10537255 DOI: 10.3390/nu15184082] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this research was to determine whether parent/child pairs choosing products from a grocery aisle labeled with front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels would make more healthful choices than pairs who viewed the same items without labels, and to determine the added value of viewing an explanatory video before choosing. In this experiment, 175 parent/child pairs chose USD 20 worth of packaged foods and beverages from a grocery aisle in a research laboratory and were randomly assigned to see products that either did or did not have 0-4-star FOP labels, with more stars indicating more healthful products. Among those participants with access to FOP labels, half were randomly assigned to view a 30 s video explaining the FOP labels before selecting foods. Participants who saw the explanatory video before selecting among products with FOP labels chose foods with significantly more stars than participants who saw the FOP-labeled products without the video; however, there was no significant difference in mean stars on selected products between the group that saw the videos and the control group that saw neither the video nor FOP labels. We conclude that explaining new FOP labels to consumers may be necessary for the labels to prompt more healthful choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan J Graham
- Department of Psychology, College of Natural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Rachel G Lucas-Thompson
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Gina Slejko
- Department of Marketing, College of Business, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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Pettigrew S, Jongenelis MI, Talati Z, Dana LM, Hercberg S, Julia C. The ability of five different front-of-pack labels to assist Australian consumers to identify healthy versus unhealthy foods. Aust N Z J Public Health 2023; 47:100017. [PMID: 36641957 DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2022.100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the relative ability of different interpretive front-of-pack food labels to alert consumers to both healthier and unhealthier options to inform their food choices. METHODS One thousand Australians completed an online experiment where they rated the nutritional quality of sets of fictional products pre- and post-randomisation to one of five front-of-pack labels: Health Star Rating, Multiple Traffic Lights, Nutri-Score, Reference Intakes and Warning Label. Two sample z-tests were used to assess the ability of each label to facilitate the correct identification of the least and most healthy product options. RESULTS The Nutri-Score was superior in assisting respondents to identify both the healthiest and unhealthiest options. The Health Star Rating ranked second for both outcomes, followed by the Multiple Traffic Lights. CONCLUSIONS Results reinforce the role of interpretive front-of-pack labels in assisting consumers to understand the nutritional quality of food products and suggest spectrum labels may provide superior utility in assisting consumers to identify both the most and least nutritious products from among available product options. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH The strongest performance of a highly interpretive front-of-pack label (Nutri-Score) featuring colour in a summary indicator suggests potential strategies for enhancing the performance of the Health Star Rating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Pettigrew
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Michelle I Jongenelis
- Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zenobia Talati
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Liyuwork M Dana
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Serge Hercberg
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center, University of Paris-Cité (CRESS), Bobigny, France; Public Health Department, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, Bobigny, France
| | - Chantal Julia
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center, University of Paris-Cité (CRESS), Bobigny, France; Public Health Department, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, Bobigny, France
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Zafar MZ, Shi X, Yang H, Abbas J, Chen J. The Impact of Interpretive Packaged Food Labels on Consumer Purchase Intention: The Comparative Analysis of Efficacy and Inefficiency of Food Labels. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192215098. [PMID: 36429827 PMCID: PMC9690506 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The objectives of this study are twofold. Firstly, the current study elucidates the impact and efficacy of food labels in developing consumers' attitudes and intentions towards the selection of nutritional food. Secondly, the inefficacy of labels in developing consumers' attitudes and intentions towards healthy packaged food selection is demonstrated. The supportive theories of the current model are those of reasoned action and protection motivation. The data of 797 respondents have been collected from four major grocery stores in Pakistan. The structural equation model has been employed for the analysis of data. The results indicate that the efficacy of food labels has a positive significant effect on attitudes towards familiar and unfamiliar foods. In contrast to this, inefficacy in labelling has shown a positive significant effect on familiar foods but is insignificant for unfamiliar foods. The user-friendly food labels significantly affect unfamiliar foods in terms promoting consumer attitudes. Reciprocally, the inefficacy of labels creates a hindrance to the reading of unfamiliar labels while purchasing food items. The study findings reveal the fact that food label information and its format influences consumer attitudes and intentions at the point of purchase.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiangjiao Shi
- Business School, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
- Institute of Business Administration, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Hailan Yang
- Business School, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
| | - Jaffar Abbas
- School of Media and Communication & Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiakui Chen
- School of Economics and Management (Cooperative College), Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
- Correspondence:
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Pettigrew S, Jongenelis M, Jones A, Hercberg S, Julia C. An 18-country analysis of the effectiveness of five front-of-pack nutrition labels. Food Qual Prefer 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Ogundijo DA, Tas AA, Onarinde BA. Age, an Important Sociodemographic Determinant of Factors Influencing Consumers' Food Choices and Purchasing Habits: An English University Setting. Front Nutr 2022; 9:858593. [PMID: 35634371 PMCID: PMC9132226 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.858593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The purchasing behaviors of university staff (n = 188) and their use of nutrition labels in making food choices were investigated by an online survey. The age of the participants significantly impacted their purchasing behaviors. This effect was not observed with other sociodemographic characteristics studied (level of education, gender, employment status and ethnicity). The impact of age on the extrinsic factors affecting food choice (personal preference, previous knowledge, convenience, religion/beliefs) and intrinsic factors (quantity, country of origin, method of preparation/serving, fat, salt, protein and added sugar contents) were further explored. The use of nutrition labels among different age groups when buying for the first time was significant for breakfast cereals and fruit juices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. Ogundijo
- National Centre for Food Manufacturing, University of Lincoln, Holbeach, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Daniel A. Ogundijo
| | - Ayten A. Tas
- Department of Health Professions, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Bukola A. Onarinde
- National Centre for Food Manufacturing, University of Lincoln, Holbeach, United Kingdom
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Yin X, Ye L, Xin X, Xiang L, Yu Y, Yan R, Wen K, Tian M, Jones A, Pettigrew S, Liu W, Yang Y, Zhang J. Key Stakeholder Perspectives on Introducing a Front-of-Pack Labelling Scheme on Packaged Foods in China: A Qualitative Study. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14030516. [PMID: 35276875 PMCID: PMC8840240 DOI: 10.3390/nu14030516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Front-of-pack (FoP) labelling on foods is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to address the growing global burden of diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), but this policy has not yet been implemented in China. The aim of this study was to ascertain key stakeholders’ views on barriers and facilitators to developing a feasible and acceptable FoP labelling policy in the Chinese context. Semistructured interviews were used to elicit opinions from diverse representatives in roles of FoP labelling policy influence. Participants were identified by purposive and snowball sampling. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was adopted to facilitate data collection and analysis. Themes and subthemes were generated using deductive and inductive approaches. Thirty participants were interviewed. The major barriers were the absence of national contextual analysis, perceived complexity of the process of policy development, disagreement on a preferred FoP labelling format, cost for the food industry, low priority compared to food safety policies, lack of existing regulatory framework or authorised nutrient profiling system, limited knowledge of FoP labelling, and the lack of planning and engagement with stakeholders. Facilitators included existing prerequisites, experiences and lessons from the pilot, policy coherence with Healthy China 2030, and support from external agents (e.g., WHO). Further efforts are required to develop and collate evidence to demonstrate the scientific, legal, and political feasibility of introducing effective FoP labelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejun Yin
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (X.Y.); (A.J.); (S.P.)
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (L.Y.); (L.X.); (R.Y.)
| | - Lihong Ye
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (L.Y.); (L.X.); (R.Y.)
| | - Xin Xin
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (X.X.); (Y.Y.); (K.W.); (W.L.)
| | - Lin Xiang
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (L.Y.); (L.X.); (R.Y.)
| | - Yue Yu
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (X.X.); (Y.Y.); (K.W.); (W.L.)
| | - Ruijie Yan
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (L.Y.); (L.X.); (R.Y.)
| | - Kehan Wen
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (X.X.); (Y.Y.); (K.W.); (W.L.)
| | - Maoyi Tian
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (X.Y.); (A.J.); (S.P.)
- School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150088, China
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (M.T.)
| | - Alexandra Jones
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (X.Y.); (A.J.); (S.P.)
| | - Simone Pettigrew
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (X.Y.); (A.J.); (S.P.)
| | - Wei Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; (X.X.); (Y.Y.); (K.W.); (W.L.)
| | - Yuexin Yang
- Chinese Nutrition Society, Beijing 100022, China;
| | - Juan Zhang
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (L.Y.); (L.X.); (R.Y.)
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (M.T.)
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