Investigating the effect of restaurant menu labelling on consumer food choices using a field experiment
ISSN: 0007-070X
Article publication date: 2 December 2021
Issue publication date: 1 November 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The aim is to explore the impact of new menu labels on consumers' actual meal purchases with a field experiment undertaken in a local restaurant.
Design/methodology/approach
The author used a field experiment in a natural eating environment at a restaurant to investigate the effect of restaurant menu labelling on consumers' meal choices and opinions on the use of nutritional labels on menus. The experiment included control and treatment conditions in which we offered customers unlabelled and labelled menus, respectively. After individuals' dining experience, the data on meal choices and attitudes to menu labelling was collected via a brief questionnaire. The author then performed inferential statistical analysis to test differences between the control and treatment conditions and logistic regression analysis to explore further what predicts the probability of labels being influential on meal choice.
Findings
The study finds that the information provided to the consumers on restaurant menus matters. The more useful the information is perceived by consumers, the more likely the labels will influence their choices. Calorie content and the walking minutes to burn those calories on labels were considered the most useful aspect of the menu labels.
Originality/value
The study contributes to a better understanding of the impact of menu labelling on actual meal purchases, as well as the best way to communicate calorie and nutrient information to consumers. The author also shares her experience designing a field experiment with a restaurateur for future research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: This work was supported by funding from the Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
The author thanks to Wan Mak (Head of Nutrition and Dietetics at Sodexo UK & Ireland) for her assistance in calorie calculations of meals included in the menus, Stirling Court Hotel Restaurant to offer their facilities to undertake the field experiment, and Joseph McCarthy for his assistance in data collection.
Citation
Erdem, S. (2022), "Investigating the effect of restaurant menu labelling on consumer food choices using a field experiment", British Food Journal, Vol. 124 No. 11, pp. 3447-3467. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-04-2021-0432
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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