Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery: Effects on Performance and Preference in Italian Consumers

In May 2020, the European Commission announced a proposal for a mandatory front-of-pack label (FoPL) for all European Union (EU) countries. Indeed, FoPLs have been recognized by several public institutions as a cost-effective measure to guide consumers toward nutritionally favorable food products. T...

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Main Authors: Morgane Fialon, Mauro Serafini, Pilar Galan, Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot, Mathilde Touvier, Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy, Barthélémy Sarda, Serge Hercberg, Lydiane Nabec, Chantal Julia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-08-01
Series:Nutrients
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/17/3511
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author Morgane Fialon
Mauro Serafini
Pilar Galan
Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot
Mathilde Touvier
Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy
Barthélémy Sarda
Serge Hercberg
Lydiane Nabec
Chantal Julia
author_facet Morgane Fialon
Mauro Serafini
Pilar Galan
Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot
Mathilde Touvier
Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy
Barthélémy Sarda
Serge Hercberg
Lydiane Nabec
Chantal Julia
author_sort Morgane Fialon
collection DOAJ
description In May 2020, the European Commission announced a proposal for a mandatory front-of-pack label (FoPL) for all European Union (EU) countries. Indeed, FoPLs have been recognized by several public institutions as a cost-effective measure to guide consumers toward nutritionally favorable food products. The aim of this study was to compare the performance and consumer preference of two FoPLs currently proposed or implemented in EU countries, the interpretive format Nutri-Score and the non-interpretive format NutrInform Battery, among Italian consumers. The experimental study was conducted in 2021 on a representative sample of 1064 Italian adults (mean age = 46.5 ± 14.1 years; 48% men). Participants were randomized to either Nutri-Score or NutrInform and had to fill out an online questionnaire testing their objective understanding of the FoPL on three food categories (breakfast products, breakfast cereals and added fats) as well as purchase intention, subjective understanding and perception. Multivariable logistic regressions and <i>t</i>-tests were used to analyze the answers. In terms of the capacity of participants to identify the most nutritionally favorable products, Nutri-Score outperformed NutrInform in all food categories, with the highest odds ratio being observed for added fats (OR = 21.7 [15.3–31.1], <i>p</i> < 0.0001). Overall, with Nutri-Score, Italian participants were more likely to intend to purchase nutritionally favorable products than with NutrInform (OR = 5.29 [4.02–6.97], <i>p</i> < 0.0001). Focusing on olive oil, participants of the Nutri-Score group had higher purchase intention of olive oil compared to those in the NutrInform group (OR = 1.92 [1.42–2.60], <i>p</i> < 0.0001) after manipulating the label. The interpretive format Nutri-Score appears to be a more efficient tool than NutrInform for orienting Italian consumers towards more nutritionally favorable food choices.
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spelling doaj.art-b860427f3f2e46048c36e8181a9cd64e2023-11-23T13:51:42ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-08-011417351110.3390/nu14173511Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery: Effects on Performance and Preference in Italian ConsumersMorgane Fialon0Mauro Serafini1Pilar Galan2Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot3Mathilde Touvier4Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy5Barthélémy Sarda6Serge Hercberg7Lydiane Nabec8Chantal Julia9Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord University, 93017 Bobigny, FranceFaculty of Biosciences and Technologies for Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, ItalyNutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord University, 93017 Bobigny, FranceNutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord University, 93017 Bobigny, FranceNutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord University, 93017 Bobigny, FranceNutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord University, 93017 Bobigny, FranceNutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord University, 93017 Bobigny, FranceNutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord University, 93017 Bobigny, FranceCentre de Recherche Réseaux, Innovation, Territoire et Mondialisation (RITM), Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceNutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, Inrae U1125, Cnam, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord University, 93017 Bobigny, FranceIn May 2020, the European Commission announced a proposal for a mandatory front-of-pack label (FoPL) for all European Union (EU) countries. Indeed, FoPLs have been recognized by several public institutions as a cost-effective measure to guide consumers toward nutritionally favorable food products. The aim of this study was to compare the performance and consumer preference of two FoPLs currently proposed or implemented in EU countries, the interpretive format Nutri-Score and the non-interpretive format NutrInform Battery, among Italian consumers. The experimental study was conducted in 2021 on a representative sample of 1064 Italian adults (mean age = 46.5 ± 14.1 years; 48% men). Participants were randomized to either Nutri-Score or NutrInform and had to fill out an online questionnaire testing their objective understanding of the FoPL on three food categories (breakfast products, breakfast cereals and added fats) as well as purchase intention, subjective understanding and perception. Multivariable logistic regressions and <i>t</i>-tests were used to analyze the answers. In terms of the capacity of participants to identify the most nutritionally favorable products, Nutri-Score outperformed NutrInform in all food categories, with the highest odds ratio being observed for added fats (OR = 21.7 [15.3–31.1], <i>p</i> < 0.0001). Overall, with Nutri-Score, Italian participants were more likely to intend to purchase nutritionally favorable products than with NutrInform (OR = 5.29 [4.02–6.97], <i>p</i> < 0.0001). Focusing on olive oil, participants of the Nutri-Score group had higher purchase intention of olive oil compared to those in the NutrInform group (OR = 1.92 [1.42–2.60], <i>p</i> < 0.0001) after manipulating the label. The interpretive format Nutri-Score appears to be a more efficient tool than NutrInform for orienting Italian consumers towards more nutritionally favorable food choices.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/17/3511front-of-packNutri-ScoreNutrInform BatteryItaly
spellingShingle Morgane Fialon
Mauro Serafini
Pilar Galan
Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot
Mathilde Touvier
Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy
Barthélémy Sarda
Serge Hercberg
Lydiane Nabec
Chantal Julia
Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery: Effects on Performance and Preference in Italian Consumers
Nutrients
front-of-pack
Nutri-Score
NutrInform Battery
Italy
title Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery: Effects on Performance and Preference in Italian Consumers
title_full Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery: Effects on Performance and Preference in Italian Consumers
title_fullStr Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery: Effects on Performance and Preference in Italian Consumers
title_full_unstemmed Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery: Effects on Performance and Preference in Italian Consumers
title_short Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery: Effects on Performance and Preference in Italian Consumers
title_sort nutri score and nutrinform battery effects on performance and preference in italian consumers
topic front-of-pack
Nutri-Score
NutrInform Battery
Italy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/17/3511
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