Out-of-home Consumer Food Purchase Behaviour in the Presence and Absence of Value Pricing and Price Promotions

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Eating Behavior; Food Selection; Healthy Eating
• Interventions: Behavioral: No price-based incentives; Behavioral: Product price promotions removed; Behavioral: Bulk buy reductions removed; Behavioral: Volume value pricing removed; Behavioral: Control

• Registration Number: NCT06412276
• Lead Sponsor: University of Liverpool

Brief Summary

It is important to understand the role that price-based incentives in the out-of-home food sector play in food purchasing, and whether they lead to positive savings for the consumer (as they would likely anticipate when making purchases), or whether these incentives lead to increased spending and increased purchasing of unhealthy products. Additionally, it is important to consider whether the impacts of price-based incentives differ according to a range of demographic characteristics. For example, some evidence suggests that effects of removing a price-based incentive are greater in individuals with a higher BMI. Evidence also suggests there may also be differences in impact according to socioeconomic position (SEP) as individuals in lower SEP groups reportedly use price-based incentives more frequently. If lower SEP individuals are more affected by price-based incentives (i.e. they prompt ordering in excess and greater spend), then the banning of such strategies could help to reduce health inequalities, by nudging lower SEP consumers toward healthier dietary choices in the OOH food sector.

To date, it is unclear what effect policies which remove specific types of price-based incentives would be likely to have on consumer behaviour. In particular, individual product price reductions (e.g. £ off this product), bulk buy price reductions (e.g., Save £ when bought together) and volume value pricing (e.g., the price increase from a small to large portion size not being directly proportional to volume increase).

Therefore our primary objectives are:

• To observe the effect of removing price-based incentives (individual product price reductions, bulk buy price reductions, volume value pricing) in the OOH food sector on:

* Energy purchased per household

* Money spent per household

Secondary Objectives:

• To explore whether any effects of removing price-based incentives differ based on participant characteristics (BMI, SEP, food choice motives)

Detailed Description

See attached study protocol for detailed information

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2024-05
• Study First Submitted: 2024-05-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-05-08
• Study First Posted: 2024-05-14
• Study Start: 2024-06-01
• Primary Completion: 2024-07-26
• Study Completion: 2024-10-28
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-10-29
• Last Update Posted: 2024-11-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 2051

Inclusion Criteria

• Currently reside in the United Kingdom
• Over the age of 18 years
• Fluent English speaker Frequently use food delivery apps or websites (at least once a month, on average)
• Frequently eat takeaway pizza (i.e. once every 2-3 months)
• Can complete the study on a laptop or desktop

Read More

Exclusion Criteria

• Partaking in a fast or other restrictive eating for religious reasons at time of participation

• Dietary restrictions/intolerances including:

  • Gluten-free
  • Dairy-free
  • Sugar-free

Read More

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
No price-based incentive	No price-based incentives	Food menus will be provided with no price-based incentives
Product price reductions removed	Product price promotions removed	Food menu without product price promotions
Bulk buy price reductions removed	Bulk buy reductions removed	Food menu without price decrease for bulk-buy items (i.e. bundles available but not at a decreased price)
Volume value pricing removed	Volume value pricing removed	For products on the food menu with size increases, increases in price will be made proportionate (as opposed to value)
Control	Control	Food menu typical for the out-of-home outlet with * Product price promotions (25% off orders over £10) * Bulk buy reductions (bundle options for reduced prices) * Volume value pricing (increase in size for a disproportionately small increase in price)

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Monetary value of order	immediately after food choice	The total monetary value of the hypothetical food order
Energy (kcal) ordered	immediately after food choice	The total energy content of the hypothetical food order
Likelihood of using a bulk-buy promotion	immediately after food choice	The likelihood of participants selecting a bulk-buy option or 'bundle'
Likelihood of selecting a larger or smaller size	immediately after food choice	The likelihood of participants selecting a larger or smaller size for food items with multi-size options

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Liverpool; 🇬🇧 Liverpool, United Kingdom