title: Guiding healthier food choice: systematic comparison of four front-of-pack labelling systems and their effect on judgements of product healthiness.
abstract: Different front-of-pack (FOP) labelling systems have been developed in Europe by industry and organisations concerned with health promotion. A study (n 2068) was performed to establish the extent to which inclusion of the most prevalent FOP systems--guideline daily amounts (GDA), traffic lights (TL), GDA+TL hybrid (HYB) and health logos (HL)--impact consumer perceptions of healthiness over and above the provision of a FOP basic label (BL) containing numerical nutritional information alone. The design included within- and between-subjects factors. The within-subjects factors were: food (pizzas, yogurts and biscuits), healthiness of the food (high health, medium health and low health) and the repeated measurements under BL and test FOP label conditions. The between-subjects factors were: the system (GDA, TL, GDA+TL hybrid, HL), portion size (typical portion size and a 50% reduction of a typical portion) and country (the UK, Germany, Poland and Turkey). Although the FOP systems tested did result in small improvements for objective understanding under some conditions, there was little difference between the provision of an FOP label containing basic numerical nutritional information alone or between the various systems. Thus, any structured and legible presentation of key nutrient and energy information on the FOP label is sufficient to enable consumers to detect a healthier alternative within a food category when provided with foods that have distinctly different levels of healthiness. Future research should focus on developing greater understanding of the psychological and contextual factors that impact motivation and the opportunity to use the various FOP systems in real-world shopping settings.
authors.affiliation: Food Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Surrey,Guildford, SurreyGU2 7XH,UK.
authors.forename: Charo E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hodgkins
authors.affiliation: Food Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Surrey,Guildford, SurreyGU2 7XH,UK.
authors.forename: Monique M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Raats
authors.affiliation: Food Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Surrey,Guildford, SurreyGU2 7XH,UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fife-Schaw
authors.affiliation: Food Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Surrey,Guildford, SurreyGU2 7XH,UK.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.affiliation: Institute for Consumer and Behaviour Research, Saarland University,Campus A5.4,66123Saarbruecken,Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gröppel-Klein
authors.affiliation: Institute for Consumer and Behaviour Research, Saarland University,Campus A5.4,66123Saarbruecken,Germany.
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koenigstorfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology,University of Warsaw,Stawki 5/7,00-183Warsaw,Poland.
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wasowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology,University of Warsaw,Stawki 5/7,00-183Warsaw,Poland.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stysko-Kunkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics,Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylül University,Cumhuriyet Bulvari No: 144,35210Alsancak/Izmir,Turkey.
authors.forename: Yaprak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gulcan
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics,Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylül University,Cumhuriyet Bulvari No: 144,35210Alsancak/Izmir,Turkey.
authors.forename: Yesim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kustepeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey,Guildford, SurreyGU2 7XH,UK.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.affiliation: Food Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Surrey,Guildford, SurreyGU2 7XH,UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.affiliation: MAPP Centre for Research on Customer Relations in the Food Sector, Aarhus University,Bartholins Allé 10,8000Aarhus,Denmark.
authors.forename: Klaus G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Grunert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005515:Food Labeling; D005858:Germany; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D011044:Poland; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014421:Turkey; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Front-of-pack; Health inferences; Healthier choices; Healthiness; Nutrition labelling