Studying the Impact of Product Packaging in a Virtual Store Environment

NCT04381481 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: 19-3227K01HL147713
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 2,374
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Purpose: Examine the impact of nutrition claims on parents' decisions to purchase fruit drinks in a randomized controlled trial in an online virtual convenience store (task 1) and examine the impact of added sugar warnings on parents' snack purchasing decisions in a randomized controlled trial in an online virtual convenience store. Participants: Participants will consist of approximately 2,500 individuals 18 and older with at least one child ages 1-5. The child 1-5 who had their birthday most recently must have consumed at least one fruit drink in the previous week. Additionally, they will live in the United States and identify as non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, or Hispanic. The panel research company Kantar will recruit individuals from its pool of potential individuals. Procedures (methods): The investigators will randomize participants to one of 12 versions of a virtual convenience store (iShoppe) and then the participants will complete two shopping tasks in the store. They will select two beverages (task 1) for their child 1-5 who had their birthday most recently, and they will select a snack (task 2) for that same child. After completing the shopping tasks, the participant will complete a survey in Qualtrics. The survey will ask a series of questions about the beverages and snacks (e.g., perceived healthfulness, perceived appeal, intentions to consume products). Questions will also include standard demographic and health related variables.

Conditions

Obesity, Childhood

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Percent of Participants Who Selected the Grape-Flavored Fruit Drink (Fruit Drink Experimental Task 1)

  Measured as percent of participants selecting grape-flavored fruit drink rather than 100% grape juice (objectively measured).

  During virtual shopping task which will last ~5 minutes

• Percent of Participants Who Selected the Lower Sugar Granola Snack (Snack Experimental Task 2)

  Measured as percent of participants selecting lower sugar granola snack rather than higher sugar granola snack (objectively measured).

  During virtual shopping task which will last ~5 minutes

Secondary Outcomes (26)

• Percent of Participants Who Misperceive That the Fruit Drink Does Not Have Added Sugar (Fruit Drink Experimental Task 1)

  13-15 minutes post-test computer survey following the ~5 minute virtual shopping task.

• Percent of Participants Who Misperceive That the Fruit Drink is 100% Fruit Juice (Fruit Drink Experimental Task 1)

  13-15 minutes post-test computer survey following the ~5 minute virtual shopping task.

• Number of Teaspoons of Added Sugar Participants Think the Fruit Drink Contains (Fruit Drink Experimental Task 1)

  13-15 minutes post-test computer survey following the ~5 minute virtual shopping task.

• Mean Percent of Fruit Juice That Participants Believe the Fruit Drink Contains (Fruit Drink Experimental Task 1)

  13-15 minutes post-test computer survey following the ~5 minute virtual shopping task.

• Perceived Misleadingness of Fruit Drink (Fruit Drink Experimental Task 1)

  13-15 minutes post-test computer survey following the ~5 minute virtual shopping task.

Study Arms (12)

Control beverage, text snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participant will see fruit drinks with no nutrition claims (task 1). They will see a snack with a text warning "WARNING: High in added sugar" (task 2).

Behavioral: Control Drink: No nutrition claim; Behavioral: Experimental snack: Text warning

Control beverage, control snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participant will see fruit drinks with no nutrition claims (task 1). They will see a snack with a barcode label (control label) (task 2).

Behavioral: Control Drink: No nutrition claim; Behavioral: Control snack: barcode label

Control beverage, graphic snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participant will see fruit drinks with no nutrition claims (task 1). They will see a snack with a graphic label (image of sugar cubes in a cup) along with the text "WARNING: High in added sugar" (task 2).

Behavioral: Control Drink: No nutrition claim; Behavioral: Experimental snack: Graphic warning

Claim 1 beverage, text snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participant will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "No Artificial Sweeteners" (task 1). They will see a snack with a text warning "WARNING: High in added sugar" (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Experimental snack: Text warning

Claim 1 beverage, control snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participant will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "No Artificial Sweeteners" (task 1). They will see a snack with a barcode label (control label) (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Control snack: barcode label

Claim 1 beverage, graphic snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participant will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "No Artificial Sweeteners" (task 1). They will see a snack with a graphic label (image of sugar cubes in a cup) along with the text "WARNING: High in added sugar" (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Experimental snack: Graphic warning

Claim 2 beverage, text snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "100% Vitamin C daily value" (task 1). They will see a snack with a text warning "WARNING: High in added sugar" (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Experimental snack: Text warning

Claim 2 beverage, control snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "100% Vitamin C daily value" (task 1). They will see a snack with a barcode label (control label) (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Control snack: barcode label

Claim 2 beverage, graphic snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "100% Vitamin C daily value" (task 1). They will see a snack with a graphic label (image of sugar cubes in a cup) along with the text "WARNING: High in added sugar" (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Experimental snack: Graphic warning

Claim 3 beverage, text snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "100% All Natural" (task 1). They will see a snack with a text warning "WARNING: High in added sugar" (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Experimental snack: Text warning

Claim 3 beverage, control snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "100% All Natural" (task 1). They will see a snack with a barcode label (control label) (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Control snack: barcode label

Claim 3 beverage, graphic snack

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will see fruit drinks with the nutrition claim "100% All Natural" (task 1). They will see a snack with a graphic label (image of sugar cubes in a cup) along with the text "WARNING: High in added sugar" (task 2).

Behavioral: Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks; Behavioral: Experimental snack: Graphic warning

Interventions

Experimental Drink: Nutrition claim on fruit drinks BEHAVIORAL

Fruit drink contains a nutrition claim (task 1)

Claim 1 beverage, control snack; Claim 1 beverage, graphic snack; Claim 1 beverage, text snack; Claim 2 beverage, control snack; Claim 2 beverage, graphic snack; Claim 2 beverage, text snack; Claim 3 beverage, control snack; Claim 3 beverage, graphic snack; Claim 3 beverage, text snack

Control Drink: No nutrition claim BEHAVIORAL

Fruit drinks does not contain a nutrition claim (task 1)

Control beverage, control snack; Control beverage, graphic snack; Control beverage, text snack

Experimental snack: Text warning BEHAVIORAL

The snack contains a text warning (task 2)

Claim 1 beverage, text snack; Claim 2 beverage, text snack; Claim 3 beverage, text snack; Control beverage, text snack

Experimental snack: Graphic warning BEHAVIORAL

The snack contains a graphic warning (task 2)

Claim 1 beverage, graphic snack; Claim 2 beverage, graphic snack; Claim 3 beverage, graphic snack; Control beverage, graphic snack

Control snack: barcode label BEHAVIORAL

The snack contains a neutral barcode label (task 2)

Claim 1 beverage, control snack; Claim 2 beverage, control snack; Claim 3 beverage, control snack; Control beverage, control snack

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 99 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Be 18 years or older
• Currently reside in the US
• Be a Kantar panel member
• have at least one child aged 1-5
• Child 1-5 with the most recent birthday must have consumed at least one fruit drink in the previous week (7 days)
• Self-identify as non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, or Hispanic any race

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: lead
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: collaborator
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

UNC Carolina Population Center

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Taillie LS, Higgins ICA, Lazard AJ, Miles DR, Blitstein JL, Hall MG. Do sugar warning labels influence parents' selection of a labeled snack for their children? A randomized trial in a virtual convenience store. Appetite. 2022 Aug 1;175:106059. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106059. Epub 2022 May 5.

  PMID: 35526703 DERIVED

• Hall MG, Lazard AJ, Higgins ICA, Blitstein JL, Duffy EW, Greenthal E, Sorscher S, Taillie LS. Nutrition-related claims lead parents to choose less healthy drinks for young children: a randomized trial in a virtual convenience store. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Apr 1;115(4):1144-1154. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqac008.

  PMID: 35040866 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pediatric Obesity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Marissa Hall, PhD
• Organization: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

mghall@unc.edu

919-962-5907

Study Officials

• Marissa G Hall, PhD

  University of North Carolina

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 4, 2020
• First Posted: May 8, 2020
• Study Start: May 14, 2020
• Primary Completion: July 24, 2020
• Study Completion: July 24, 2020
• Last Updated: June 18, 2021
• Results First Posted: June 18, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)