The impact of price discounts and calorie messaging on beverage consumption: a multi-site field study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the efficacy of alternative approaches for shifting consumers toward zero calorie beverages. We examined the effect of price discounts and novel presentations of calorie information on sales of beverages.


METHODS
This prospective interrupted time-series quasi-experiment included three sites in Philadelphia, PA, Evanston, IL, and Detroit, MI. Each site received five interventions: (1) a 10% price discount on zero-calorie beverages; (2) the 10% discount plus discount messaging; (3) messaging comparing calorie information of sugared beverages with zero-calorie beverages; (4) messaging comparing exercise equivalent information; and (5) messaging comparing both calorie and exercise equivalent information. The main outcome was daily sales of bottled zero-calorie and sugared beverages. Data was collected from October 2009 until May 2010 and analyzed from May 2010 until May 2011.


RESULTS
The overall analysis failed to demonstrate a consistent effect across all interventions. Two treatments had statistically significant effects: the discount plus discount messaging, with an increase in purchases of zero calorie beverages; and the calorie messaging intervention, with an increase in purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages. Individual site analysis results were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
The effects of price discounts and calorie messaging in different forms on beverage purchases were inconsistent and frequently small.
Department of Veterans Affairs and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, 1301 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. jjue@ecri.org
J Jane S
JJ
Jue
Matthew J
MJ
Press
Daniel
D
McDonald
Kevin G
KG
Volpp
David A
DA
Asch
Nandita
N
Mitra
Anthony C
AC
Stanowski
George
G
Loewenstein
D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D011356:Product Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D013660:Taxes; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population
D013549:Sweetening Agents