title: Psychologically Informed Implementations of Sugary-Drink Portion Limits.
abstract: In 2012, the New York City Board of Health prohibited restaurants from selling sugary drinks in containers that would hold more than 16 oz. Although a state court ruled that the Board of Health did not have the authority to implement such a policy, it remains a legally viable option for governments and a voluntary option for restaurants. However, there is very limited empirical data on how such a policy might affect the purchasing and consumption of sugary drinks. We report four well-powered, incentive-compatible experiments in which we evaluated two possible ways that restaurants might comply with such a policy: bundling (i.e., dividing the contents of oversized cups into two regulation-size cups) and providing free refills (i.e., offering a regulation-size cup with unlimited refills). Bundling caused people to buy less soda. Free refills increased consumption, especially when a waiter served the refills. This perverse effect was reduced in self-service contexts that required walking just a few steps to get a refill.
authors.affiliation: 1 Negotiation, Organizations and Markets Unit, Harvard Business School.
authors.forename: Leslie K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: John
authors.affiliation: 2 Marketing Unit, Harvard Business School.
authors.forename: Grant E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.affiliation: 3 Medical Ethics & Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Christina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Roberto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004467:Economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000208:ethnology; D018673:Nutrition Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D019422:Dietary Sucrose
keywords: consumption; health; open data; open materials; purchasing; sugar-sweetened beverage