Vending Labeling Sales and Intercepts Study

NCT06260176 | Completed

• 3 other identifiers: 828722R01DK11330715163
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,065
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to compare the impact of 4 different types of front of package (FOP) food and beverage messages: 1) green labels on healthy foods, 2) red/yellow/green labels on less healthy/moderately healthy/healthy foods, 3) physical activity calorie equivalent labels, and 4) posters reminding consumers of the sweetened beverage tax on consumers' beverage and snack selections.

Conditions

Food Preferences; Obesity; Weight Gain

Keywords

food labeling; sugar-sweetened beverages; eating; drinking; choice behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (11)

• Percentage of beverages sold with calories per month

  Outcome is percentage of monthly beverages selected that had calories

  Every month, for 13 months

• Calories sold from beverages per month, if beverages with calories sold

  Outcome is calories in beverages sold per month - only for beverages with calories.

  Every month, for 13 months

• Calories sold from snacks per month

  Outcome is calories in snacks sold per month.

  Every month, for 13 months

• Likelihood of selecting a healthy beverage

  Outcome is percentage of monthly beverages selected were healthy beverages (green labeled in the traffic light condition)

  Every month, for 13 months

• Likelihood of selecting a moderately healthy beverage

  Outcome is percentage of monthly beverages selected were moderately healthy beverages (yellow labeled in the traffic light condition)

  Every month, for 13 months

• Likelihood of selecting a less healthy beverage

  Outcome is percentage of monthly beverages selected were less healthy beverages (red labeled in the traffic light condition)

  Every month, for 13 months

• Likelihood of selecting a healthy snack

  Outcome is percentage of monthly snacks selected were healthy snacks (green labeled in the traffic light condition)

  Every month, for 13 months

• Likelihood of selecting a moderately healthy snack

  Outcome is percentage of monthly snacks selected were moderately healthy snacks (yellow labeled in the traffic light condition)

  Every month, for 13 months

• Likelihood of selecting a less healthy snack

  Outcome is percentage of monthly snacks selected were less healthy snacks (red labeled in the traffic light condition)

  Every month, for 13 months

• Total beverage units sold per month per machine.

  Outcome is number of monthly beverages sold per machine

  Every month, for 13 months

• Total snack units sold per month per machine

  Outcome is number of monthly snacks sold per machine

  Every month, for 13 months

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Total revenue per month per beverage machine

  Every month, for 13 months

• Total revenue per month per snack machine

  Every month, for 13 months

• Total calories sold per customer trip

  5-minute survey

Study Arms (4)

Green labels

EXPERIMENTAL

green label added to healthy product slots; no additional labels shown for "less healthy" products and 1 poster per machine explaining the labels

Behavioral: exposure to healthy labels only

Traffic light labels

EXPERIMENTAL

red/yellow/green labels added to slots for less healthy/moderately healthy/healthy products, respectively and 1 poster per machine explaining the labels

Behavioral: exposure to healthiness information

Physical activity calorie equivalent labels

EXPERIMENTAL

labels added to slots that display products' calorie content in terms of physical activity required to burn those calories and 1 poster per machine explaining the labels

Behavioral: exposure to physical activity equivalents

Sweetened beverage tax posters

EXPERIMENTAL

1 poster per machine; no labels; posters reminded consumers of the Philadelphia sweetened beverage tax and encouraging healthier choices

Behavioral: exposure to sweetened beverage tax messaging

Interventions

exposure to healthy labels only BEHAVIORAL

Green labels only for beverages and foods scored as healthy

Green labels

exposure to healthiness information BEHAVIORAL

All beverages and foods labeled as either healthy (green), moderately healthy (yellow), or less healthy (red)

Traffic light labels

exposure to physical activity equivalents BEHAVIORAL

All beverages and foods labeled with physical activity required to burn their calories

Physical activity calorie equivalent labels

exposure to sweetened beverage tax messaging BEHAVIORAL

Message reminding consumers to make healthier choices

Sweetened beverage tax posters

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Any person aged 18 or older making a purchase from the vending machines included in this intervention will be asked to participate in this study.

You may not qualify if:

• People who indicate they have already taken the survey are not eligible to take the survey again.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Pennsylvania: lead
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Gibson LA, Stephens-Shields AJ, Hua SV, Orr JA, Lawman HG, Bleich SN, Volpp KG, Bleakley A, Thorndike AN, Roberto CA. Comparison of Sales From Vending Machines With 4 Different Food and Beverage Messages: A Randomized Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 May 1;7(5):e249438. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.9438.

  PMID: 38717775 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Food Preferences; Obesity; Weight Gain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Christina A Roberto

  University of Pennsylvania

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Machine locations were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 front-of-package message arms, stratified by baseline machine sales (high/low) and type of machine location (correctional facilities, courts/offices, large offices, police/fire, recreation centers/libraries/other) with equal probability. The investigators first randomized vending locations (e.g., floors) with beverage machines so that all machines on the same floor displayed the same label. They then randomized the remaining "solo" snack locations. Monthly sales data provided by the City's vending contractor indicated consumer choices. Research assistants also asked a subset of consumers (N=1,065) about their purchases. Intercepts were not allowed in the courts/offices location type and were not conducted at correctional facilities with low traffic. The aim was to collect 10 intercepts per machine visited, distributed over the entire study period, however the study was cut short in March 2020 by the Covid pandemic.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 29, 2024
• First Posted: February 15, 2024
• Study Start: February 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: March 12, 2020
• Study Completion: March 12, 2020
• Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: SAP
• Time Frame: starting 6 months after publication
• Access Criteria: public

Locations

US (1)