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Making Nutritional Information Digestible: Effects of a Receipt-Based Intervention on Restaurant Purchases

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  • Kelly Bedard
  • Peter J. Kuhn

Abstract

We study the effects of receipts that include personalized ordering suggestions designed to reduce fat and calorie consumption on purchasing behavior at a restaurant chain. We find that customers, in the aggregate, made most of the item substitutions that were encouraged by the messages, such as substituting ham for sausage in a breakfast sandwich, or substituting frozen yogurt for ice cream, though effects on overall calories and fat consumed were small. The results illustrate the potential of emerging information technologies, which allow retailers to tailor product marketing to individual consumers, to contribute in meaningful new ways to the battle against obesity.

Suggested Citation

  • Kelly Bedard & Peter J. Kuhn, 2013. "Making Nutritional Information Digestible: Effects of a Receipt-Based Intervention on Restaurant Purchases," NBER Working Papers 19654, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:19654
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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