Adherence
Front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels significantly improve consumers' ability to identify healthier products, but their ability to nudge actual purchase behavior or consumption toward healthier choices is limited.
Use Front-of-Package labels to quickly scan for healthier options among similar products, as they effectively aid identification. However, do not rely on these labels alone to control portion sizes or total calorie intake, as they often trigger a 'health halo' that may lead to consuming more of unhealthy 'vice' products. For actual dietary changes, cross-reference with the full Nutrition Facts Panel or other nutritional data.
The results show that, although FOP labels help consumers to identify healthier products, their ability to nudge consumers toward healthier choices is more limited.
Why this rating
Based on a meta-analysis of 114 articles and 1594 effect sizes, providing high statistical power and generalizability.
Source
Consumer effects of front-of-package nutrition labeling: an interdisciplinary meta-analysis
Iina Ikonen et al. · Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science · 2019
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