Time orientation and risk perception moderate the influence of nutritional warnings on food choice

Abstract

Nutritional warnings are becoming popular as a front-of-package labelling scheme aimed at discouraging consumption of products with high content of nutrients associated with non-communicable diseases. Factors claimed to influence the effectiveness of such nutritional warnings include personality traits linked to risk perceptions and the extent to which individuals are present-oriented or futurefocused in their decision-making style. Therefore, the study aimed to explore whether time orientation and sodium risk perception may moderate the influence of nutritional warnings on food choices. An online study involving 498 participants was carried out. Participants performed a choice-conjoint task involving bread packages differing in three 2-level variables: sodium warning (present vs. absent), type of bread (regular vs. whole wheat) and brand (well-known vs. unknown). They were presented with 8 pairs of bread packages and for each pair, were asked to indicate the one they would choose if they were in a supermarket. Next, participants answered a scale on ´consideration of future consequences´ adapted to eating habits, and responded to statements measuring perceived risk of sodium consumption. Data were analyzed using mixed logit models.Results revealed that the inclusion of the sodium warning on the packages discouraged participants´ choice (p=0.001), reinforcing its potential to reduce sodium consumption. Time orientation and sodium perceived risk moderated the effect of bread characteristics on participants´ choices. Besides, participants preferred the well-known (vs. unknown) brand (p=0.036), while the type of bread only had a marginal effect on their choice of bread packages (p=0.095). It was found that both a focus on immediate consequences and thinking that the risk associated with sodium consumption can be compensated decreased the ffectiveness of the sodium warning. In addition, the relative importance of brand on participants´ choices decreased as perceived risk increased. Regarding type of bread, participants who prioritized immediate consequences of eating habits preferred white bread over whole bread, while those with greater consideration of future consequences preferred whole wheat bread. Results from the present work suggest that communication campaigns aimed at encouraging participants to consider nutritional warnings in their decision-making process should promote a future-oriented vision on eating habits, as well as raise risk awareness.