An Experimental Study Evaluating the Influence of Front-of-Package Warning Labels on Adolescent’s Purchase Intention of Processed Food Products

Bibliographic Data

ID15499535
AuthorsLorena Saavedra‐garcia (0000-0003-1524-780X, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, corresponding author), Miguel Moscoso‐porra (0000-0001-9518-4241, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia), Francisco Diez-Canseco (0000-0002-7611-8190, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia)
Year2022
Volume19
Issue3
Pages1094-1094
Publication date2022-01-19
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph19031094
PMID35162126
OpenAlexW4206065848
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited8

Front-of-package warning labels (WLs) are among the public health policies adopted by some countries, mainly in Latin-America, to tackle childhood obesity; however, their impact is still under review. The aim of this study was to assess, using an experimental design, whether WLs influence purchase intention of processed foods and identification of the healthiest products among adolescents in Peru, in May 2019, just before WLs mandatory implementation. Four hundred forty-nine adolescents from two public schools were randomly assigned to an experimental group (received three different processed products with either zero, one or two WLs, informing if they were high in sugar, sodium and/or saturated fats) or a control group (received the same products but unlabeled). Participants chose which product they would buy, and which they considered to be the healthiest. No differences between groups were found neither in purchase intention ( p = 0.386) nor in the identification of the healthiest product ( p = 0.322). In both groups, the most-selected product was always the healthiest of the triad (>40% in purchase intention and >80% in identification of the healthiest). Front-of-package WLs did not influence purchase intention, or identification of healthier products among adolescents from public schools in Peru. Mass media and educational campaigns should accompany the WLs implementation to help achieve the policy objective

Advertising · Business · Identification (biology · Product (mathematics · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Mathematics · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Marketing

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