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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT05783726

Testing Product Messages in Colombia

Purpose: To better understand the impact of different front-of-package labels (FOPLs) on consumer purchasing intentions and ability to identify unhealthy foods.

Participants: ~8,000 Colombians, recruited from Offerwise, that are 18 years or older.

Procedures (methods): Participants will be randomly assigned to view images of food and drink products with either a nutrient warning label, Guideline Daily Amount label, Nutriscore label, or no-label control. They will be asked a series of questions about the products and the labels (excluding control group) on them. Questions will also include standard demographic and health related variables.

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Key information

Conditions

Obesity Body Weight Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–64 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

UNC Carolina Population Center

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States

About this study

Participants will be recruited from Offerwise (an online panel research company). Following online consent, participants will be randomly assigned to view different labels (explained below) on food and drink packaging. Participants will answer self-reported responses to the content (e.g., elaboration, beliefs, perceived healthfulness). After being randomized to one of the four groups and answering questions (e.g. which product is healthier, which product would you buy), the participant will see all three labels and select which is most dissuading from consuming a product high in a nutrient. At the end, the participant will answer demographic questions.

Participants will be randomized to see either a no-label control or 1 of 3 nutrient labels. The participants will see 5 types of products with the labels (fruit drinks, yogurt, sliced bread, cookies, and breakfast cereal).

Nutrient labels:

  • Guideline Daily Amount label
  • Nutriscore label
  • Adapted Peruvian nutrient warning label (high in sugar, high in saturated fat, high in salt/sodium)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 18-64 years old
  • Resident of Colombia
  • Offerwise panel member (recruitment platform)

Exclusion criteria

  • <18 years old or >64 years old
  • Not a resident of Colombia

Treatment and study plan

Control

Other

Participants will be shown images of juice, bread, yogurt, cookies, and cereal without any added front-of-package labels.

Nutriscore Label

Behavioral

A front-of-package Nutriscore label will be applied to images of juice, bread, yogurt, cookies, and cereal. This label applies a score of A, B, C, D, or E based on the product's nutrition profile.

Adapted Peruvian Nutrient Label

Behavioral

A front-of-package octagonal nutrient label will be applied to images of juice, bread, yogurt, cookies, and cereal. The label text informs consumers if a product is high in sugar, saturated fat, or salt/sodium. These labels were developed by the Peruvian government and adapted by investigators.

Guideline Daily Amount Label

Behavioral

A front-of-package Guideline Daily Amount label will be applied to images of juice, bread, yogurt, cookies, and cereal. The label shows the amount and percent of daily value of calories, total fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium in one serving of a product.

Primary outcomes

  1. Selection of Product Higher in Sugar

    Time frame: During ~15 minute online survey

    Percentage of participants who select the less healthy product in a set of two products as the product the consumer most wants to buy.

  2. Correct Identification of the Product Higher in Sugar

    Time frame: During ~15 minute online survey

    Percentage of participants who correctly select the product higher in sugar (between two products)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perceived Message Effectiveness

    Time frame: During ~15 minute online survey

    Perceived message effectiveness of the study labels. Response options are on a 1 to 5 scale, with lower scores representing a higher amount of the construct.

    Perceived message effectiveness is measured using 3 items adapted from Baig et al. (2018): concern, unpleasantness, and discouragement. Responses to the 3 items will be averaged to create a perceived message effectiveness score.

    Question: How much does this message...

    make you concerned about the health effect of consuming an unhealthy product? discourage you from wanting to eat an unhealthy product? make eating an unhealthy product seem unpleasant to you? Only asked of the label arms, not control.

  2. Purchase Likelihood

    Time frame: During ~15 minute online survey

    Likelihood that participants would purchase this product in the next week if it were available. Response options are on a 1 to 5 scale, with lower scores representing a higher amount of the construct

  3. Identify Less Healthy Product

    Time frame: During ~15 minute online survey

    Percentage of participants that correctly identify the less healthy product when selecting between two products.

  4. Ability to Identify Product as Having Excess of Sugar/Saturated Fat/Sodium

    Time frame: During ~15 minute online survey

    Percentage of participants who correctly identify that the product contains excess sugar, saturated fat, or sodium.

  5. Most Discouraging Label

    Time frame: During ~15 minute online survey

    Percentage of participants selecting each nutrient label as most discouraging them from consuming the product.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Other

Collaborators

  • The Bloomberg Family Foundation, Inc.
  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Mar 24, 2023
Registry last updated
Jun 27, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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