Comparing Designs for Restaurant "Eco-Labels"

Food Preferences Clinical Trial

Official title:

Comparing Designs for Environmental Sustainability "Eco-Labels" for Restaurant Menus

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05953246
• Other study ID #: 69580b
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: August 7, 2023
• Est. completion date: August 7, 2023

Study information

• Verified date: August 2023
• Source: Stanford University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The aim of this study is to compare responses to 5 different types of labels for restaurant menus: 1) Control (non-sustainability-label: neutral labels not referencing environmental sustainability); 2) Numeric text-only sustainability label; 3) Endorsement text-only sustainability label; 4) Endorsement icon-only sustainability label; 5) Endorsement text-plus-icon sustainability label. Participants will be randomized to 1 of the 5 labeling arms above. Each participant will view 3 labels (shown in random order) from their randomly assigned labeling arm and respond to survey questions about each label (e.g., attention, perceived effectiveness).

Description:

This is an online randomized controlled trial. Investigators will recruit participants through a survey company to complete an online survey. In the study, participants will be randomized to 1 of 5 labeling arms: 1) Control (non-sustainability-label: neutral labels not referencing environmental sustainability); 2) Numeric text-only sustainability label; 3) Endorsement text-only sustainability label; 4) Endorsement icon-only sustainability label; 5) Endorsement text-plus-icon sustainability label. Participants will be randomized to 1 of the 5 labeling arms above. Each participant will view 3 labels (shown in random order) from their randomly assigned labeling arm and respond to survey questions about each label (e.g., attention, perceived effectiveness).

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 2207
• Est. completion date: August 7, 2023
• Est. primary completion date: August 7, 2023
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants will be US adults
• Ages 18 or older
• With an over-sample of adults (50% of total sample) 18-29 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Younger than 18
• Non-US

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Food Preferences

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Neutral labels
Participants view neutral labels (QR codes with and without neutral text) for menu items
• Numeric text-only sustainability labels
Participants view labels with numeric text depicting the greenhouse gas emissions associated with production of the menu item
• Endorsement text-only sustainability labels
Participants view labels using text to endorse menu items as having low environmental impact
• Endorsement icon-only sustainability labels
Participants view labels using icons to endorse menu items as having low environmental impact
• Endorsement text-plus-icon sustainability labels
Participants view labels using text and icons to endorse menu items as having low environmental impact

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Stanford School of Medicine	Palo Alto	California

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Stanford University	Harvard Pilgrim Health Care

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Perceived message effectiveness	Participants will rate the extent to which the label makes them want to choose items with the label on a 5-point scale ranging from low (1) to high (5). They will also rate the extent to which the label makes eating items with the label seem appealing to them on a 5-point scale ranging from low (1) to high (5). These items are adapted from the 3-item UNC Perceived Message Effectiveness scale. Investigators will average responses to these two items to create a perceived message effectiveness score, which will also range from low (1) to high (5). Higher scores therefore indicate higher perceived message effectiveness.	The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Secondary	Attention	Participants will rate the extent to which the label captures their attention on a 5-point response scale ranging from low (1) to high (5). Higher scores indicate more attention-grabbing labels (a better outcome).	The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Secondary	Thinking about environmental effects	Participants will rate the extent to which the label makes them think about the environmental impacts of their food choices on a 5-point response scale ranging from low (1) to high (5). Higher scores indicate labels elicit more thinking about environmental effects (a better outcome).	The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Secondary	Anticipated social interactions	Participants will rate how likely they are to talk about the label with others in the next week on a 5-point response scale ranging from low (1) to high (5). Higher scores indicate labels elicit more anticipated social interactions (a better outcome).	The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Secondary	Believability	Participants will rate how believable the label is on a 5-point response scale ranging from low (1) to high (5). Higher scores indicate labels are more believable (a better outcome).	The survey will take up to 20 minutes