Adherence

Front-of-pack multiple traffic light labels significantly improve consumers' objective ability to identify healthier food options compared to no labels or other formats, but this improved perception does not translate into healthier actual food choices or consumption patterns.

Using traffic light labels on food packaging helps shoppers correctly identify which products are healthier than others, but simply putting these labels on products will not change what people actually buy or eat. To improve diet quality, labeling must be combined with other strategies that address time pressure, habit, and environmental cues, as knowledge alone does not drive behavior change.