Nutri-Score and Nutrition Facts Panel through the Eyes of the Consumer: Correct Healthfulness Estimations Depend on Transparent Labels, Fixation Duration, and Product Equivocality
Research on front-of-pack labels (FOPLs) demonstrated that Nutri-Score is one of the most promising FOPLs regarding healthfulness estimation accuracy. Nevertheless, as consumers are exposed to both the Nutri-Score and the mandatory Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) in the supermarket, it is key to underst...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/9/2915 |
| _version_ | 1797517783642144768 |
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| author | Saar Bossuyt Kathleen Custers José Tummers Laura Verbeyst Bert Oben |
| author_facet | Saar Bossuyt Kathleen Custers José Tummers Laura Verbeyst Bert Oben |
| author_sort | Saar Bossuyt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research on front-of-pack labels (FOPLs) demonstrated that Nutri-Score is one of the most promising FOPLs regarding healthfulness estimation accuracy. Nevertheless, as consumers are exposed to both the Nutri-Score and the mandatory Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) in the supermarket, it is key to understand if and how both labels interact. This study investigates the contribution of Nutri-Score and NFP regarding healthfulness estimation accuracy, whether this impact differs depending on the product, and what role visual attention plays. We set up an eye-tracking experiment in a controlled setting in which 398 participants rated the healthfulness of 20 products. The results confirmed the positive impact of the Nutri-Score on healthfulness estimation accuracy, though the impact was larger for equivocal (i.e., difficult to judge) products. Interestingly, NFP either had no effect (compared to a package without Nutri-Score or NFP) or a negative effect (compared to a package with Nutri-Score alone) on healthfulness estimation accuracy. Eye-tracking data corroborated that ‘cognitive overload’ issues could explain why consumers exposed to Nutri-Score alone outperformed those exposed to both Nutri-Score and NFP. This study offers food for thought for policymakers and the industry seeking to maximize the potential of the Nutri-Score. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:21:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3810847c6bfe43528194634ca51900c9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:21:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-3810847c6bfe43528194634ca51900c92023-11-22T14:34:24ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-08-01139291510.3390/nu13092915Nutri-Score and Nutrition Facts Panel through the Eyes of the Consumer: Correct Healthfulness Estimations Depend on Transparent Labels, Fixation Duration, and Product EquivocalitySaar Bossuyt0Kathleen Custers1José Tummers2Laura Verbeyst3Bert Oben4Smart Organizations, UCLL University of Applied Sciences, Geldenaaksebaan 335, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumSmart Organizations, UCLL University of Applied Sciences, Geldenaaksebaan 335, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumSmart Organizations, UCLL University of Applied Sciences, Geldenaaksebaan 335, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumHealth Innovation, UCLL University of Applied Sciences, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumFaculty of Arts, University of Leuven, Blijde Inkomststraat 21, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumResearch on front-of-pack labels (FOPLs) demonstrated that Nutri-Score is one of the most promising FOPLs regarding healthfulness estimation accuracy. Nevertheless, as consumers are exposed to both the Nutri-Score and the mandatory Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) in the supermarket, it is key to understand if and how both labels interact. This study investigates the contribution of Nutri-Score and NFP regarding healthfulness estimation accuracy, whether this impact differs depending on the product, and what role visual attention plays. We set up an eye-tracking experiment in a controlled setting in which 398 participants rated the healthfulness of 20 products. The results confirmed the positive impact of the Nutri-Score on healthfulness estimation accuracy, though the impact was larger for equivocal (i.e., difficult to judge) products. Interestingly, NFP either had no effect (compared to a package without Nutri-Score or NFP) or a negative effect (compared to a package with Nutri-Score alone) on healthfulness estimation accuracy. Eye-tracking data corroborated that ‘cognitive overload’ issues could explain why consumers exposed to Nutri-Score alone outperformed those exposed to both Nutri-Score and NFP. This study offers food for thought for policymakers and the industry seeking to maximize the potential of the Nutri-Score.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/9/2915nutritional labelinghealthfulness perceptioneye-tracking |
| spellingShingle | Saar Bossuyt Kathleen Custers José Tummers Laura Verbeyst Bert Oben Nutri-Score and Nutrition Facts Panel through the Eyes of the Consumer: Correct Healthfulness Estimations Depend on Transparent Labels, Fixation Duration, and Product Equivocality Nutrients nutritional labeling healthfulness perception eye-tracking |
| title | Nutri-Score and Nutrition Facts Panel through the Eyes of the Consumer: Correct Healthfulness Estimations Depend on Transparent Labels, Fixation Duration, and Product Equivocality |
| title_full | Nutri-Score and Nutrition Facts Panel through the Eyes of the Consumer: Correct Healthfulness Estimations Depend on Transparent Labels, Fixation Duration, and Product Equivocality |
| title_fullStr | Nutri-Score and Nutrition Facts Panel through the Eyes of the Consumer: Correct Healthfulness Estimations Depend on Transparent Labels, Fixation Duration, and Product Equivocality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutri-Score and Nutrition Facts Panel through the Eyes of the Consumer: Correct Healthfulness Estimations Depend on Transparent Labels, Fixation Duration, and Product Equivocality |
| title_short | Nutri-Score and Nutrition Facts Panel through the Eyes of the Consumer: Correct Healthfulness Estimations Depend on Transparent Labels, Fixation Duration, and Product Equivocality |
| title_sort | nutri score and nutrition facts panel through the eyes of the consumer correct healthfulness estimations depend on transparent labels fixation duration and product equivocality |
| topic | nutritional labeling healthfulness perception eye-tracking |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/9/2915 |
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