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

Eating Behavior Clinical Trial

Official title:

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

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06412276
• Other study ID #: Price-based incentive study
• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 1, 2024
• Est. completion date: July 1, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: May 2024
• Source: University of Liverpool
• Contact: Eric Robinson, PhD
• Phone: +44 (0)151 794
• Email: eric.robinson[@]liverpool.ac.uk
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial 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)

Description:

See attached study protocol for detailed information

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Enrollment: 2051
• Est. completion date: July 1, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: June 20, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

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

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Eating Behavior
• Food Selection
• Healthy Eating

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Control
Food menu will be provided as is typical for the out of home outlet
• Product price promotions removed
Food menus with no price reductions to products
• Bulk buy reductions removed
Food menus with bundles provided but not at reduced prices
• Volume value pricing removed
Food menus with proportionate pricing for multi-size products
• No price-based incentives
Food menus with no price-based incentives offered

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	University of Liverpool	Liverpool	Merseyside

Sponsors (4)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Liverpool	Economic and Social Research Council, United Kingdom, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Bristol

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

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