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Effectiveness of Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Labels in French Adults: Results from the NutriNet-Santé Cohort Study

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Listed:
  • Pauline Ducrot
  • Caroline Méjean
  • Chantal Julia
  • Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot
  • Mathilde Touvier
  • Léopold Fezeu
  • Serge Hercberg
  • Sandrine Péneau

Abstract

Background: To date, no consensus has emerged on the most appropriate front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition label to help consumers in making informed choices. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of the label formats currently in use: nutrient-specific, graded and simple summary systems, in a large sample of adults. Methods: The FOP label effectiveness was assessed by measuring the label acceptability and understanding among 13,578 participants of the NutriNet-Santé cohort study, representative of the French adult population. Participants were exposed to five conditions, including four FOP labels: Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA), Multiple Traffic Lights (MTL), 5-Color Nutrition Label (5-CNL), Green Tick (Tick), and a “no label” condition. Acceptability was evaluated by several indicators: attractiveness, liking and perceived cognitive workload. Objective understanding was assessed by the percentage of correct answers when ranking three products according to their nutritional quality. Five different product categories were tested: prepared fish dishes, pizzas, dairy products, breakfast cereals, and appetizers. Differences among the label effectiveness were compared with chi-square tests. Results: The 5-CNL was viewed as the easiest label to identify and as the one requiring the lowest amount of effort and time to understand. GDA was considered as the least easy to identify and to understand, despite being the most attractive and liked label. All FOP labels were found to be effective in ranking products according to their nutritional quality compared with the “no label” situation, although they showed differing levels of effectiveness (p

Suggested Citation

  • Pauline Ducrot & Caroline Méjean & Chantal Julia & Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot & Mathilde Touvier & Léopold Fezeu & Serge Hercberg & Sandrine Péneau, 2015. "Effectiveness of Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Labels in French Adults: Results from the NutriNet-Santé Cohort Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(10), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0140898
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140898
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Caroline Méjean & Pauline Macouillard & Sandrine Péneau & Camille Lassale & Serge Hercberg & Katia Castetbon, 2014. "Association of Perception of Front-of-Pack Labels with Dietary, Lifestyle and Health Characteristics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(3), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Bernard Ruffieux & Laurent Muller & Jean-Loup Dupuis & Mariane Damois & Vinciane Reboud & Jérémie Schneider & Alexandre Bechetoille & Coline Schneider & Cedric Lanu, 2011. "Etude sur l'influence de divers systèmes d'étiquetage nutritionnel sur la composition du panier d'achat alimentaire," Working Papers hal-02810274, HAL.
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    Cited by:

    1. Walker Estefania, 2023. "Impacto del etiquetado frontal de alimentos sobre el consumo," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4699, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    2. Gautam, Ruskin & Gustafson, Christopher R. & Brooks, Kathleen R., 2017. "Label Position and it Impacts on WTP for Products Containing GMO," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258105, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Iina Ikonen & Francesca Sotgiu & Aylin Aydinli & Peeter W. J. Verlegh, 2020. "Consumer effects of front-of-package nutrition labeling: an interdisciplinary meta-analysis," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 360-383, May.
    4. Jorge Alé-Chilet & Sarah Moshary, 2022. "Beyond Consumer Switching: Supply Responses to Food Packaging and Advertising Regulations," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(2), pages 243-270, March.

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