Influence of nutrition claims on different models of front-of-package nutritional labeling in supposedly healthy foods: Impact on the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers

Abstract

Nutrition claims are positive information about foods, which are widely used as a marketing strategy on labels. On the contrary, front-of-package nutritional labeling (FoPNL) aims to make it easier for consumers to understand the nutritional composition of foods and favor healthy food choices. However, the concomitant presence of nutrition claims and FoPNL may hinder the understanding, judgment, and choices of consumers at the moment of purchase. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of nutrition claims on the efficacy of FoPNL models in the understanding of nutritional information, healthfulness perception, and purchase intention of Brazilian consumers. It was an experimental cross-sectional study carried out using an online questionnaire, with a total of 720 participants randomly divided into four FoPNL conditions: control, octagon, triangle, and magnifying glass. Each participant looked at 12 food packages, which were produced following the factorial design: (i) food category (cereal bar, whole grain cookies, and snacks); (ii) product type (containing one critical nutrient × containing two critical nutrients); and (iii) nutrition claims (present × absent). The comprehension of nutritional information was evaluated through the identification of excessive nutrients, and the healthfulness perception and purchase intention were evaluated using a seven-point scale. The results indicated that the presence of FoPNL increased the understanding of the information and reduced healthfulness perception and purchase intention. The presence of nutrition claims influenced the three outcomes, decreasing the probability of understanding information about food composition by 32% (OR 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.58–0.78, p < 0.01) and significantly increasing (p < 0.05) average health scores (1.95–2.02) and purchase intention (2.00–2.05). Nonetheless, the interaction “FoPNL × claims” was not significant, which indicated that claims act independently. All FoPNL models were more effective than the control. For the least healthful type of product (two nutrients in excess), the octagon and triangle models were superior to the magnifying glass, regarding the outcome of healthfulness perception. The results prove the efficacy of FoPNL in consumer understanding and judgment. Despite the positive effects of FoPNL, it did not cancel the positivity bias generated by the claims.

Effects of front-of-package nutrition labelling systems on understanding and purchase intention in Jamaica: results from a multiarm randomised controlled trial

“…Prates et al have tested such hypothesis and found that in products with one single nutrient in excess, OWL and MGG performed similarly, however when products had two nutrients in excess, the OWL outperformed the MGG in reducing the healthfulness perceptions (all categories of products) and the purchase intention (cereal bars and cookies) of these products. 39 The superiority of octagonal signs supports the graphical design of warning labels implemented in most countries in the Americas, and can help informing policymaking in the Caribbean, as OWL outperformed other systems suggested by industry representatives along the regulatory process, such as the MGG and TFL. This is the first study of its kind to be completed in the Caribbean region and one of the few that have compared different warning labelling schemes (multipleicon vs single-icon scheme), thus helping to fill the local, regional and global knowledge gaps on the matter.…”

“…Conversely, single icon schemes, such as the MGG, do not count with such mechanism since they occupy the same proportion of the label surface area regardless of the number of nutrients in excess found in the product. Prates et al have tested such hypothesis and found that in products with one single nutrient in excess, OWL and MGG performed similarly, however when products had two nutrients in excess, the OWL outperformed the MGG in reducing the healthfulness perceptions (all categories of products) and the purchase intention (cereal bars and cookies) of these products 39. The superiority of octagonal signs supports the graphical design of warning labels implemented in most countries in the Americas, and can help informing policymaking in the Caribbean, as OWL outperformed other systems suggested by industry representatives along the regulatory process, such as the MGG and TFL.…”

“…Results are also expected to contribute to the evaluation of the effect of graphical design on the effectiveness of warning labels, a topic that has been increasingly receiving more attention in the literature more recently. [33][34][35][36][37][38][39] The hypotheses tested in the study include: (1) OWL, MGG and TFL improve consumers' ability to correctly identify the least harmful product more often; (2) these FOP labelling schemes improve Open access consumers' ability to correctly identify the presence of excessive nutrient content in products more often; (3) and these FOP labelling schemes increase consumers' intention to purchase the least harmful option or none of the options of a series of products, more often. These hypotheses have been tested both against the control condition, and between the FOP labelling schemes, to verify whether there is a scheme that performs differently from the others for each hypothesis.…”

“…The comparisons aimed at assessing the effect of these FOP labelling schemes on objective understanding (correct identification of the least harmful product and correct identification of excessive nutrient content), and intention to purchase of a series of products, in Jamaica. Results are also expected to contribute to the evaluation of the effect of graphical design on the effectiveness of warning labels, a topic that has been increasingly receiving more attention in the literature more recently 33–39. The hypotheses tested in the study include: (1) OWL, MGG and TFL improve consumers’ ability to correctly identify the least harmful product more often; (2) these FOP labelling schemes improve consumers’ ability to correctly identify the presence of excessive nutrient content in products more often; (3) and these FOP labelling schemes increase consumers’ intention to purchase the least harmful option or none of the options of a series of products, more often.…”

Carbohydrate content and ingredient profile of supposedly “low-carb” food products in Brazil

“…For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates the marketing and labelling of foods in the USA, does not define and regulate the use of low-carbohydrate claims on food labels or the use of other claims related to carbohydrate content [Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2013]. Claims can confuse consumers by affecting their understanding of the actual composition of foods and affecting their perception of healthfulness and purchase tendencies (Prates et al , 2022). Some studies have shown that foods with nutritional claims are perceived as healthier than foods without such information (Franco-Arellano et al , 2020; Mediano Stoltze et al , 2021; Nobrega et al , 2020).…”