NCT07214792

Perceptions of and Reactions to Sustainability Menu Label Designs

Understanding Perceptions of and Reactions to Different Food Label Designs

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 14,720 (actual)
• Sponsor: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The primary objective of this study is to explore perceptions and understanding of different menu label designs related to sustainability and environmental harm. Participants will be randomized to view a fast-food menu featuring one of seven labeling conditions and then will answer questions about the participant's reactions to and interpretations of the label, perceived label effectiveness, intention to purchase a menu item with the label, as well as perceptions of two fast-food menu items.

Detailed description

This survey will explore the perceptions and understanding of different hypothetical menu label designs related to sustainability and environmental harm compared to a control label The survey research firm CloudResearch will recruit a sample of \~12,400 adults aged 18 years and older who reside in the United States. Participants will be randomized to view a fast-food online ordering menu with one of seven labeling schemes applied: (1) a QR code on all items (control); (2) Low Sustainability labels; (3) Unsustainable labels; (4) Environmental Harm labels; (5) High Environmental Harm labels; (6) High Environmental Cost labels; and (7) numeric Environmental Cost labels on all items. All fast-food menus will include a selection of main entrée items. The control QR code and numeric environmental cost labels will display labels on all menu items. All other label conditions will apply labels only to items with higher environmental impact as defined by ingredient-level environmental impact estimates based on the Cool Food Pledge Calculator. Participants will be shown the menu and the label in isolation and will then be asked about interpretations of the label, reactions to the label, perceived message effectiveness (PME) of the label, how helpful the participants find the label to be, and the intention to purchase a menu item with the label. The participants will also be shown two different individual fast-food items with the label to which the participants were randomized (if applicable) in random order and asked about the perceived appeal, healthfulness, and environmental impact of the menu items. The primary outcome in this exploratory study will be intention to purchase a hypothetical menu item with the label shown. Secondary outcomes include label interpretation, perceived label understandability, perceived label believability, perception that the label grabbed attention, perceived message effectiveness (PME) of the label, perceived helpfulness of the label, perceived level of appeal of menu items, perceived level of healthfulness of menu items, and perceived environmental impact of menu items.

Conditions

• Food Choices

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Control (QR) Labels	Participants will view a fast-food restaurant menu with main entrée items. Each menu item will be displayed with an image of the item, name, price, and total calories. Control (QR) labels will be displayed beneath each item. Participants will view the menu and then the label in isolation and then be asked about a hypothetical intention to purchase a menu item with the label.
BEHAVIORAL	Low Sustainability Labels	Participants will view a fast-food restaurant menu with main entrée items. Each menu item will be displayed with an image of the item, name, price, and total calories. Low Sustainability labels will be displayed beneath select items. Participants will view the menu and then the label in isolation and then be asked about a hypothetical intention to purchase a menu item with the label.
BEHAVIORAL	Unsustainable Labels	Participants will view a fast-food restaurant menu with main entrée items. Each menu item will be displayed with an image of the item, name, price, and total calories. Unsustainable labels will be displayed beneath select items. Participants will view the menu and then the label in isolation and then be asked about a hypothetical intention to purchase a menu item with the label.
BEHAVIORAL	Environmental Harm Labels	Participants will view a fast-food restaurant menu with main entrée items. Each menu item will be displayed with an image of the item, name, price, and total calories. Environmental Harm labels will be displayed beneath select items. Participants will view the menu and then the label in isolation and then be asked about a hypothetical intention to purchase a menu item with the label.
BEHAVIORAL	High Environmental Harm Labels	Participants will view a fast-food restaurant menu with main entrée items. Each menu item will be displayed with an image of the item, name, price, and total calories. High Environmental Harm labels will be displayed beneath select items. Participants will view the menu and then the label in isolation and then be asked about a hypothetical intention to purchase a menu item with the label.
BEHAVIORAL	High Environmental Cost Labels	Participants will view a fast-food restaurant menu with main entrée items. Each menu item will be displayed with an image of the item, name, price, and total calories. High Environmental Cost labels will be displayed beneath select items. Participants will view the menu and then the label in isolation and then be asked about a hypothetical intention to purchase a menu item with the label.
BEHAVIORAL	Numeric Environmental Cost Labels	Participants will view a fast-food restaurant menu with main entrée items. Each menu item will be displayed with an image of the item, name, price, and total calories. Numeric environmental cost labels will be displayed beneath each item. Participants will view the menu and then the label in isolation and then be asked about a hypothetical intention to purchase a menu item with the label.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-10-09
• Primary completion: 2025-11-02
• Completion: 2025-11-02
• First posted: 2025-10-09
• Last updated: 2026-01-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States