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The response to nutritional labels: Evidence from a quasi-experiment

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  • Fichera, Eleonora
  • von Hinke, Stephanie

Abstract

This paper evaluates a UK policy that aimed to improve dietary information provision by introducing nutrition labelling on retailers’ store-brand products. Exploiting the differential timing of the introduction of Front-of-Pack nutrition labels as a quasi-experiment, our findings suggest that labelling led to a reduction in the quantity purchased of labelled store-brand foods, and an improvement in their nutritional composition. More specifically, we find that households reduced the total monthly calories from labelled store-brand foods by 588 kcal, saturated fats by 14 g, sugars by 7 g, and sodium by 0.8 mg.

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  • Fichera, Eleonora & von Hinke, Stephanie, 2020. "The response to nutritional labels: Evidence from a quasi-experiment," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:72:y:2020:i:c:s016762961930089x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2020.102326
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