Abstract
The aim of this study is to examine nudging techniques and their effectiveness in encouraging consumers to purchase food products high in fibre.
The relapsing issue of obesity and dietary-related diseases are posing a serious public health threat to future generations and we must adapt our food choices and eating patterns to tackle this worldwide problem (Maninder, 2022). According to The World Obesity Atlas (2023), obesity rates are steadily increasing, and ‘the majority (51%) of the global population will be living with overweight or obesity by 2035 if current trends prevail’. This report further highlights the economic impacts of obesity and predicts it will cost the global economy over $4 trillion a year by 2035. This emphasizes the need for prevention as opposed to treatment. The increased strain on healthcare providers has stemmed from the issue that obesity is linked to an array of health complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, which reiterates the importance of altering consumer habits to decrease the risk of obesity. Education and information interventions are frequently used to attempt to alter behaviour, however, habits are embedded into consumers and therefore difficult to change (Murimi, et al., 2017). Often it results in the diagnosis of an illness before the consumer is willing to change. Prevention is required as opposed to a cure, hence innovative nudging interventions that can effectively encourage healthier choices and change food choice behaviours are required to be researched and applied to tackle this issue.
Consumers make food choices in a range of environments; supermarkets, online, and food service establishments. Therefore, nudges must be created and applied to each environment to guide the consumer to select a healthier option, improving overall health. It can also have benefits from a business perspective through attracting health-conscious consumers and boosting sales in this market segment. Furthermore, it has been highlighted that consumers can be sceptical about the idea of nudging as some have the perception that they are misled or manipulated into choices with no benefit to themselves (Ramirez, et al., 2021). However, nudging definitively incorporates freedom of choice and does not prohibit options, ensuring ethically proposed interventions.
A systematic review was conducted to identify interventions that nudge healthier food choices, using a form of technology, seeking to discover which nudges have been used throughout the grocery environment. Overall, 20 studies were identified and are included within the review. The review concludes that there are eight main nudging techniques and these are effective upon execution within grocery stores and online. It also highlights that subtle nudging strategies have a positive correlation on encouraging healthier or more sustainable food choices (Bird, et al., 2013) and there’s a clear gap for further research as these types of nudges were deemed effective. Different types of technology were also identified such as augmented reality, eye-tracking, and the lambent shopping trolley. This has enabled the development of the methodology and highlighted nudging types which can be used.
There is a clear gap within research to implement nudging strategies through the use of technological advancements to apply nudging techniques to address consumer shopping behaviour by encouraging healthier food choices. This research aims to address that gap by outlining if information provision is effective, and if labelling language and presentation will have an impact on consumer choice.
With regard to methodological contribution, data collection incorporates virtual reality and eye-tracking technology. These innovative methods support the work of Gillebaart, et al. (2023) and will enable robust research through the use of these technologies. The results of the proposed research will contribute knowledge to whether specific nudges are effective towards consumers' purchasing habits. It is anticipated that the results from the two experiments could be used by governing bodies to update food packaging claim legislative developments. Food manufacturers could also adopt such strategies to nudge consumers towards a healthier choice.
The data collection for this mixed method study includes two choice experiments: a virtual reality accompanied shop and an eye-tracking experiment, both followed by qualitative interviews.
Experiment 1: Nudge type - Information
This experiment is a cross-over design and will use information as the nudging technique and examine its effectiveness. Information is a nudging technique that can impact consumers’ decision-making with the presence of well-presented information using specific language and relevant phrases. Information can be presented in both positive and negative form, for example, positive framing would explain the health benefits of exercising, whereas negative framing could explain the risks of being inactive (Siegrist, M., et al. 2019). The purpose of this experiment is to examine the effectiveness of presenting consumers with information to investigate if this influences their choices. It will also determine the nutritional quality of participants' baskets in terms of fibre content.
Experiment 1 will be conducted in the Consumer Insights Laboratory (CIL) at Ulster University, Coleraine campus using the virtual reality (VR) equipment. A total of 30 participants will be recruited. Participants will be asked to complete a grocery shop for a lunchtime meal and snack, then come back four weeks later, and be briefed about the benefits of fibre/what products are high in fibre, and finally asked to shop again for a lunchtime meal and snack. Data and analysis will be derived from participants shopping baskets and the fibre content will be assessed to see if it has increased post receiving information on fibre, and examine if any differences exist between the controlled shop and the primed shop.
Experiment 2: Nudge type - Labelling
This experiment will use labelling as the nudging technique and examine its effectiveness. Labelling is a nudging technique that provides specific information to help consumers make more informed decisions (Guthrie, et al., 2015). This will enable the researchers to understand if consumers look at fibre claims. This experiment will analyse labels as a nudging technique. The purpose of this experiment is to investigate where consumers look and for how long, specifically analysing the frequency, duration, latency to respond, and inter-response time.
Experiment 2 will be conducted using 30 participants who will be recruited for this exercise. Participants will be shown photographs of four different products, three with fibre claims present and one without.
Pre and post-interviews will be conducted. Half of the participants (15) will be invited to firstly complete an interview asking questions on their awareness of fibre, then complete the eye-tracking study. The other half of the participants (15) will firstly conduct the eye-tracking experiment and then participate in interviews after completion of the experiment to gauge if they noticed the fibre claims and find out which one they preferred. This will analyse if there is a difference in priming and non-priming also. Data from eye-tracking will be analysed via the system which presents the results in a colour-coded chart, for example, the area where the participant looked for the longest amount of time turns red. SPSS will also be used. Interviews will be analysed us NVivo software to code the data and identify themes, patterns, and relationships.
The relapsing issue of obesity and dietary-related diseases are posing a serious public health threat to future generations and we must adapt our food choices and eating patterns to tackle this worldwide problem (Maninder, 2022). According to The World Obesity Atlas (2023), obesity rates are steadily increasing, and ‘the majority (51%) of the global population will be living with overweight or obesity by 2035 if current trends prevail’. This report further highlights the economic impacts of obesity and predicts it will cost the global economy over $4 trillion a year by 2035. This emphasizes the need for prevention as opposed to treatment. The increased strain on healthcare providers has stemmed from the issue that obesity is linked to an array of health complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, which reiterates the importance of altering consumer habits to decrease the risk of obesity. Education and information interventions are frequently used to attempt to alter behaviour, however, habits are embedded into consumers and therefore difficult to change (Murimi, et al., 2017). Often it results in the diagnosis of an illness before the consumer is willing to change. Prevention is required as opposed to a cure, hence innovative nudging interventions that can effectively encourage healthier choices and change food choice behaviours are required to be researched and applied to tackle this issue.
Consumers make food choices in a range of environments; supermarkets, online, and food service establishments. Therefore, nudges must be created and applied to each environment to guide the consumer to select a healthier option, improving overall health. It can also have benefits from a business perspective through attracting health-conscious consumers and boosting sales in this market segment. Furthermore, it has been highlighted that consumers can be sceptical about the idea of nudging as some have the perception that they are misled or manipulated into choices with no benefit to themselves (Ramirez, et al., 2021). However, nudging definitively incorporates freedom of choice and does not prohibit options, ensuring ethically proposed interventions.
A systematic review was conducted to identify interventions that nudge healthier food choices, using a form of technology, seeking to discover which nudges have been used throughout the grocery environment. Overall, 20 studies were identified and are included within the review. The review concludes that there are eight main nudging techniques and these are effective upon execution within grocery stores and online. It also highlights that subtle nudging strategies have a positive correlation on encouraging healthier or more sustainable food choices (Bird, et al., 2013) and there’s a clear gap for further research as these types of nudges were deemed effective. Different types of technology were also identified such as augmented reality, eye-tracking, and the lambent shopping trolley. This has enabled the development of the methodology and highlighted nudging types which can be used.
There is a clear gap within research to implement nudging strategies through the use of technological advancements to apply nudging techniques to address consumer shopping behaviour by encouraging healthier food choices. This research aims to address that gap by outlining if information provision is effective, and if labelling language and presentation will have an impact on consumer choice.
With regard to methodological contribution, data collection incorporates virtual reality and eye-tracking technology. These innovative methods support the work of Gillebaart, et al. (2023) and will enable robust research through the use of these technologies. The results of the proposed research will contribute knowledge to whether specific nudges are effective towards consumers' purchasing habits. It is anticipated that the results from the two experiments could be used by governing bodies to update food packaging claim legislative developments. Food manufacturers could also adopt such strategies to nudge consumers towards a healthier choice.
The data collection for this mixed method study includes two choice experiments: a virtual reality accompanied shop and an eye-tracking experiment, both followed by qualitative interviews.
Experiment 1: Nudge type - Information
This experiment is a cross-over design and will use information as the nudging technique and examine its effectiveness. Information is a nudging technique that can impact consumers’ decision-making with the presence of well-presented information using specific language and relevant phrases. Information can be presented in both positive and negative form, for example, positive framing would explain the health benefits of exercising, whereas negative framing could explain the risks of being inactive (Siegrist, M., et al. 2019). The purpose of this experiment is to examine the effectiveness of presenting consumers with information to investigate if this influences their choices. It will also determine the nutritional quality of participants' baskets in terms of fibre content.
Experiment 1 will be conducted in the Consumer Insights Laboratory (CIL) at Ulster University, Coleraine campus using the virtual reality (VR) equipment. A total of 30 participants will be recruited. Participants will be asked to complete a grocery shop for a lunchtime meal and snack, then come back four weeks later, and be briefed about the benefits of fibre/what products are high in fibre, and finally asked to shop again for a lunchtime meal and snack. Data and analysis will be derived from participants shopping baskets and the fibre content will be assessed to see if it has increased post receiving information on fibre, and examine if any differences exist between the controlled shop and the primed shop.
Experiment 2: Nudge type - Labelling
This experiment will use labelling as the nudging technique and examine its effectiveness. Labelling is a nudging technique that provides specific information to help consumers make more informed decisions (Guthrie, et al., 2015). This will enable the researchers to understand if consumers look at fibre claims. This experiment will analyse labels as a nudging technique. The purpose of this experiment is to investigate where consumers look and for how long, specifically analysing the frequency, duration, latency to respond, and inter-response time.
Experiment 2 will be conducted using 30 participants who will be recruited for this exercise. Participants will be shown photographs of four different products, three with fibre claims present and one without.
Pre and post-interviews will be conducted. Half of the participants (15) will be invited to firstly complete an interview asking questions on their awareness of fibre, then complete the eye-tracking study. The other half of the participants (15) will firstly conduct the eye-tracking experiment and then participate in interviews after completion of the experiment to gauge if they noticed the fibre claims and find out which one they preferred. This will analyse if there is a difference in priming and non-priming also. Data from eye-tracking will be analysed via the system which presents the results in a colour-coded chart, for example, the area where the participant looked for the longest amount of time turns red. SPSS will also be used. Interviews will be analysed us NVivo software to code the data and identify themes, patterns, and relationships.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Accepted/In press - 25 Apr 2024 |
Event | Irish Academy of Management Conference - Cork Duration: 28 Aug 2024 → 29 Aug 2024 |
Conference
Conference | Irish Academy of Management Conference |
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City | Cork |
Period | 28/08/24 → 29/08/24 |