Climate Labels for Restaurant Menus Pilot

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Food Selection

• Registration Number: NCT06651060
• Lead Sponsor: University of California, Davis

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to compare responses to 6 different types of labels for restaurant menus: 1) a QR code on all items (control); 2) High Climate Impact label; 3) High Climate Impact Warning label; 4) Climate Grade label; 5) Climate Grade label also displaying full range of possible grades; 6) Estimated Environmental Cost label. Participants will be randomized to 1 of these 6 labeling arms. Each participant will view a menu based on a real-world restaurant with one of the 6 labels shown on applicable menu items, select the menu item they would like, and then respond to survey questions about each label.

Detailed Description

This is an online randomized controlled trial in which researchers will use a survey company to recruit participants to an online survey. In the study, participants will be randomized to 1 of 6 labeling arms: 1) a QR code on all items (control); 2) High Climate Impact label; 3) High Climate Impact Warning label; 4) Climate Grade label; 5) Climate Grade label also displaying full range of possible grades; 6) Estimated Environmental Cost label. Labels will only appear alongside main menu items and will be assigned using thresholds for greenhouse gas emissions set a priori in kilograms of CO2 equivalent per kilogram of food. Each participant will view a menu based on a real-world restaurant with one of the 6 labels shown on applicable menu items, select the menu item they would like, then respond to survey questions about each label.

For dichotomous outcomes, the investigators will directly estimate the probability ratio using Poisson regression with a robust error variance, regressing the outcome on indicators for experimental condition. For continuous outcomes, the investigators will use linear regression models, regressing the outcome on indicators for experimental condition. A critical alpha 0.05 will be used, and statistical tests will be two-tailed. Investigators will compare all experimental label conditions to the control label, then compare each experimental label to each other using pairwise comparisons.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-10-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-10-18
• Study First Posted: 2024-10-21
• Study Start: 2024-12-23
• Primary Completion: 2025-02-13
• Study Completion: 2025-02-13
• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-19
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-21

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 16181

Inclusion Criteria

• 18 years and older
• English-speaking
• U.S. residents
• Have eaten restaurant food at least once in the last month
• Participants will reflect the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey estimates for sex, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and age

Exclusion Criteria

• Non-US resident
• Younger than 18 years old
• Failing the attention check question
• Completing the survey in less than 33% of the median completion time

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
High climate impact menu item selected - dichotomous variable	Up to approx. 1 minutes	Measured as a dichotomous variable (yes/no) indicating whether participants' hypothetical meal orders include a high climate impact menu item.
Total greenhouse gas emissions - continuous variable	Up to approx. 1 minute	Cumulative total kilograms of carbon equivalent (kgCO2e) per kilogram of food for all meal items.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Modified Nutrient Profile Index (NPI) score - continuous variable	Up to approx. 1 minute	NPI scores are based on the UK Ofcom Nutrient Profiling Model, which is used to score individual foods in the U.K. to determine which ones can be marketed to children. The NPI generates a 0 to100-point score for foods and beverages where scores \>=64 are considered healthy. NPI scores are based on points awarded from nutrients to encourage (e.g., percent fruits and vegetables, grams of fiber and protein) and nutrients of concern (e.g., sodium, sugar) per 100 grams. For this study, we will generate a modified NPI score to evaluate the healthfulness of full meals comprised of multiple food items. This measure will be determined by calculating the weighted mean NPI score of all food items selected per meal, with each item's NPI score weighted by its proportionate contribution of mass in grams to the total mass of the meal.; Reference: Rayner, M., Scarborough, P., Boxer, A., \& Stockley, L. (2005). Nutrient profiles: development of final model. London: Food Standards Agency.
Total energy (kcal) selected - continuous variable	Up to approx. 1 minute	The total number of calories in participants' hypothetical meal orders, calculated as the sum of calories across all menu items selected. Higher values indicate more calories selected.
Total saturated fat (g) selected - continuous variable	Up to approx. 1 minute	The total grams of saturated fat in participants' hypothetical meal orders, calculated as the sum of grams of saturated fat across all menu items selected. Higher values indicate more saturated fat selected.
Total sodium (mg) selected - continuous variable	Up to approx. 1 minute	The total milligrams of sodium in participants' hypothetical meal orders, calculated as the sum of milligrams of sodium across all menu items selected. Higher values indicate more sodium selected.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of California, Davis; 🇺🇸 Davis, California, United States