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Nudging Nutrition With Monetary Incentives Environmental Cues

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Diet
Obesity
Health Behavior
Food Labeling
Interventions
Behavioral: Subsidy
Behavioral: Tax
Behavioral: Tax and subsidy
Registration Number
NCT02461108
Lead Sponsor
Cornell University
Brief Summary

The investigators hypothesize that monetary incentives and messaging, such as making nutritious foods relatively less expensive than less nutritious foods and framing the price difference in a positive or negative way, will influence purchasing behavior of households.

Detailed Description

In this study, 239 loyalty card shoppers were recruited at Hannaford grocery stores to participate in a study in which a 10% price difference between nutritious and less nutritious foods was introduced. and then framed as a subsidy, tax, or a combination of a tax and subsidy. To determine whether or not the framing of the price difference influenced purchasing behavior, the difference was framed as a subsidy on nutritious foods, a tax on less nutritious foods, and a combination of a tax and subsidy on less nutritious and nutritious foods, respectively. The purpose of this study was to examine the general impact of this price difference on purchases of nutritious and less nutritious foods, and whether or not the framing of the price difference had a differential effect on behavior.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
221
Inclusion Criteria
  • Loyalty card shoppers at Hannaford grocery stores
Exclusion Criteria
  • No children in household
  • Less than 75% of food purchases made at Hannaford grocery stores

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Price differenceTaxIntroduce a 10% price difference between foods labeled as nutritious and foods labeled as less nutritious and frame the price difference as either a Subsidy, Tax, or combination of a Tax and Subsidy.
Price differenceTax and subsidyIntroduce a 10% price difference between foods labeled as nutritious and foods labeled as less nutritious and frame the price difference as either a Subsidy, Tax, or combination of a Tax and Subsidy.
Price differenceSubsidyIntroduce a 10% price difference between foods labeled as nutritious and foods labeled as less nutritious and frame the price difference as either a Subsidy, Tax, or combination of a Tax and Subsidy.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in expenditures on nutritious and less nutritious foods8 months

Item level transaction data were collected for each participant between mid-July 2010 and mid-March 2011. These data included expenditures on all items purchased in the store. Average weekly expenditures were generated and reported in Aug 2011.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in quantities purchased of nutritious and less nutritious foods8 months

Item level transaction data were collected for each participant between mid-July 2010 and mid-March 2011. These data included quantities of all items purchased in the store. Average weekly quantities purchased were generated and reported in Aug 2011.

Change in expenditures on nutritious and less nutritious foods in specific food categories.8 months

Item level transaction data were collected for each participant between mid-July 2010 and mid-March 2011. These data included expenditures on all items purchased in the store, as well as the specific product type. With this information, product groupings can be created, such as for dairy, candy, and fresh produce. Average weekly expenditures for these groupings were generated and reported in July 2012.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

New York City School District

🇺🇸

New York City, New York, United States

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