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Identifying the effect of shelf nutrition labels on consumer purchases: results of a natural experiment and consumer survey.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Finkelstein, EA; Li, W; Melo, G; Strombotne, K; Zhen, C
Published in: Am J Clin Nutr
April 1, 2018

BACKGROUND: NuVal, developed by NuVal, LLC, is a shelf nutrition label that rates the nutritional quality of foods on a scale of 1 (worst) to 100 (best). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the impact of the NuVal labels on food-purchasing patterns. DESIGN: In 2014, NuVal updated its nutrient profiling system, which changed the NuVal score on many foods. We took advantage of this "natural experiment" to assess the extent to which a change in the NuVal score influenced purchases of yogurts, a category with a wide range of more and less healthy alternatives. We supplemented these data with a survey of consumers in stores using NuVal labels to obtain their experience with the labels and the extent to which they state that the labels influence their purchases. RESULTS: Results suggested that a 1-point increase in the NuVal score is associated with a 0.49% increase in sales. Because only 8% of survey respondents reported using NuVal to influence dairy purchases, the impact of a change in the score among users may be >10 times the average effect. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that front-of-package nutrition labels are likely to influence purchasing patterns. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03390075.

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Published In

Am J Clin Nutr

DOI

EISSN

1938-3207

Publication Date

April 1, 2018

Volume

107

Issue

4

Start / End Page

647 / 651

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Yogurt
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Nutritive Value
  • Nutrition & Dietetics
  • Humans
  • Health Promotion
  • Food Labeling
  • Food
  • Consumer Behavior
  • Commerce
 

Citation

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Finkelstein, E. A., Li, W., Melo, G., Strombotne, K., & Zhen, C. (2018). Identifying the effect of shelf nutrition labels on consumer purchases: results of a natural experiment and consumer survey. Am J Clin Nutr, 107(4), 647–651. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy014
Finkelstein, Eric A., Wenying Li, Grace Melo, Kiersten Strombotne, and Chen Zhen. “Identifying the effect of shelf nutrition labels on consumer purchases: results of a natural experiment and consumer survey.Am J Clin Nutr 107, no. 4 (April 1, 2018): 647–51. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy014.
Finkelstein EA, Li W, Melo G, Strombotne K, Zhen C. Identifying the effect of shelf nutrition labels on consumer purchases: results of a natural experiment and consumer survey. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018 Apr 1;107(4):647–51.
Finkelstein, Eric A., et al. “Identifying the effect of shelf nutrition labels on consumer purchases: results of a natural experiment and consumer survey.Am J Clin Nutr, vol. 107, no. 4, Apr. 2018, pp. 647–51. Pubmed, doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy014.
Finkelstein EA, Li W, Melo G, Strombotne K, Zhen C. Identifying the effect of shelf nutrition labels on consumer purchases: results of a natural experiment and consumer survey. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018 Apr 1;107(4):647–651.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Clin Nutr

DOI

EISSN

1938-3207

Publication Date

April 1, 2018

Volume

107

Issue

4

Start / End Page

647 / 651

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Yogurt
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Nutritive Value
  • Nutrition & Dietetics
  • Humans
  • Health Promotion
  • Food Labeling
  • Food
  • Consumer Behavior
  • Commerce