Menu Labels for Food Choice

Overseen By Nina M Carr, MPH, MBA

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Non-US resident, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

6294 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The primary objective of this study is to test the relative effects of climate-impact menu label designs on the healthfulness of consumers' fast-food meal choices. Participants will complete hypothetical online meal ordering tasks using a survey which emulates the online menus of two types of fast-food chain restaurants: a burger restaurant and a sandwich restaurant. Participants will be randomized the view both menus, presented in random order, with one of five labeling conditions applied. Secondary objectives include examining total greenhouse gas emissions per meal order, energy and nutrient content of meals ordered, prices of meals ordered, and, through a post-order survey, noticeability, and perceptions, and knowledge and understanding of labels between the conditions.

Research Team

Julia A Wolfson, PhD MPP

Principal Investigator

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals who often choose meals from fast-food chains and are interested in how different menu labels might influence their food choices. There's no specific health condition required to participate, but participants should be able to complete an online survey.

Inclusion Criteria

Member of the NORC AmeriSpeak Panel

Residing in the United States

Exclusion Criteria

Not residing in the United States

Completed the survey in less than one-third of the median completion duration of all participants

Respondents with high refusal rates (skipped or refused more than 50% of questions)

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Online Experiment

Participants complete hypothetical online meal ordering tasks using a survey emulating fast-food menus with different labeling conditions

10 minutes

1 online session

Post-Ordering Survey

Participants answer questions about label noticeability, perceptions, and knowledge of climate impact

10 minutes

1 online session

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for data analysis and outcome measures

2-4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Climate Grade Labels
• Control (QR) Labels
• High Climate Impact Labels
• Low Climate Impact Labels
• Traffic Light Labels

Trial Overview The study is testing five types of menu labels: Climate Grade, Low/High Climate Impact, Control (QR code), and Traffic Light Labels. Participants will order meals online from a burger or sandwich shop under one of these conditions to see which labels lead to healthier choices.

Participant Groups

Group I: Traffic Light Labels Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Traffic Light labels will be placed on two restaurant menus beneath all main menu items. Using predetermined estimated greenhouse gas emission thresholds, each item will be assigned one of three icon-plus-text labels within this scheme: low-, medium-, or high-impact label, set in kgCO2e at \<2.6, \>=2.6 \& \<9.2, and \>=9.2, respectively. Each will read, "HIGH CLIMATE IMPACT" within a red label, "MED. CLIMATE IMPACT" in a yellow label, and "LOW CLIMATE IMPACT" in a green label. Text for all labels written in white, and a white globe icon will precede the text. Explanatory text describing the meaning of the labels will be displayed at the top of the menu.

Group II: Low Climate Impact Labels Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A green icon-plus-text label that reads "LOW CLIMATE IMPACT" in white text against a green background will be placed on two restaurant menus beneath main menu items with a low climate impact using a predetermined threshold of estimated greenhouse gas emissions set at \<2.6 kgCO2e. Labels will include a white globe icon directly preceding the label text. Explanatory text describing the label's meaning will be displayed at the top of the menu.

Group III: High Climate Impact Labels Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A red icon-plus-text label that reads "HIGH CLIMATE IMPACT" in white text against a red background will be placed on two restaurant menus beneath main menu items with a high climate impact using a predetermined threshold of estimated greenhouse gas emissions set at \>=9.2 kgCO2e. Labels will include a white globe icon directly preceding the label text. Explanatory text describing the label's meaning will be displayed at the top of the menu.

Group IV: Climate Grade Labels Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Climate Grade labels will be placed on two restaurant menus beneath all main menu items, using predetermined estimated greenhouse gas emission thresholds to assign one of five icon-plus-text labels which indicate a specific climate impact grade (A, B, C, D, and F). Thresholds are set in kgCO2e as follows: \[A\] \<1.7, \[B\] \>=1.7 \& \<2.6, \[C\] \>=2.6 \& \<9.2, \[D\] \>=9.2 \& \<28, \[F\] \>=28. All labels are solid black with a white globe icon followed by white text which reads "CLIMATE GRADE". On the left side of each label, a grade is displayed, capitalized and in a white font within a solid-colored box. The color of the box corresponds with each letter grade: A = dark green, B = light green, C = yellow, D = orange, F = red. Beneath the letter grade, a gradient of all possible grades is displayed horizontally in smaller font, each grade atop a small solid box in the respective grade color. Explanatory text describing the meaning of the labels will be displayed at the top of the menu.

Group V: Control (QR) Labels Placebo Group 1 Intervention

A black label featuring a QR code and white text that reads "SCAN HERE" will be placed beneath all main menu items on two restaurant menus. Explanatory text describing the label's meaning will be displayed at the top of the menu.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Lead Sponsor

Trials

441

Recruited

2,157,000+

University of Pennsylvania

Collaborator

Trials

2,118

Recruited

45,270,000+

University of California, Davis

Collaborator

Trials

958

Recruited

4,816,000+

Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Collaborator

Trials

283

Recruited

17,030,000+

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Collaborator

Trials

2,513

Recruited

4,366,000+