“High climate impact” labels on fast food encourage consumers to choose sustainable alternatives

03 Jan 2023 --- A randomized clinical US trial studying the effects of climate impact labeling on fast food reveals that when presented with food marked as having a high impact on the climate, consumers will likely choose a different, more sustainable item.

Within the study of 5,049 US adults, participants were shown a fast food menu and prompted to select one item from randomized menus, each with one of three label conditions: either a QR code label on all items (for the control group), green-colored ‘low climate impact’ labels on chicken, fish or vegetarian items (positive framing) or red-colored ‘high climate impact’ labels on red meat items (negative framing). 

Of these participants, almost a quarter (23%) in the high climate impact label condition chose to order a more sustainable item (non-red meat). Similarly, compared to the control group, 10% more participants in the low climate impact label condition ordered a sustainable item. 

The authors conclude that climate-impact menu labels may effectively promote sustainable restaurant food choices and that negatively-framed high climate-impact labels appear to be the most effective.

The study's authors conclude that negatively-themed labels may drive consumer behavior change.Positive versus negative labeling
The study argues that with red meat production as a primary driver of greenhouse gas emission and with a majority of red meat being sold in fast food restaurants across the US, the placement of the study within a fast food menu context made logical sense. 

“On a typical day, more than one-third of US individuals consume fast food, which is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes,” states the study. “Therefore, fast food restaurants are an important setting to encourage more environmentally sustainable dietary choices.”

Despite a rise in sustainability labeling, the authors highlight a need for more consistency across label designs and a lack of data on the best design methods. Other research has suggested that negative labels (outlining damaging impact) are more effective at influencing consumer behavior change when compared to positive labels (outlining sustainability). 

Furthermore, they note that such labeling has never been studied in a fast food context. The authors also highlight the unlikelihood of the fast food industry accepting negative labels as the norm. 

“It is unlikely that industry would voluntarily adopt a negatively framed label approach; such an approach may need to be mandated or incentivized via legislation or regulation,” flags the study. 

“However, negatively framed, high-climate impact labels may easily be adopted in settings like workplaces, universities, hospitals, and other anchor institutions with carbon neutrality commitments.”

Health halo possibility
One limitation and unintended effect the authors note is that positively-themed labels may confer an unintended health halo effect upon unhealthy food items.

“Individuals in the low-climate impact condition, particularly those who selected sustainable items, perceived that their selection was healthier than those in the control condition,” says the study. 

“This health halo effect may be important because many sustainable items are not particularly healthy, and the health halo effect may encourage overconsumption.”

Last year, a study conducted by Wageningen University & Research concluded that sustainability labeling did effectively inform consumers but did not drive a change in consumer behavior. 

“Labeling appears to be mainly effective for consumers who are already motivated or informed on sustainability issues. Groups that do not engage in sustainable behaviors are also the ones that are not reached by labeling,” Dr. Marleen Onwezen, senior researcher in consumer behavior at Wageningen University, told PackagingInsights at the time. 

To address concerns over US consumers’ poor diets, the FDA proposed a new front-of-pack labeling system to encourage nutritious diets last September. 

By James Davies