For the first time, a study by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from the Institut Méditerranéen des Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication d'Aix-Marseille (AMU/Université de Toulon) and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, comprising specialists in the fields of communication, nutrition, epidemiology and public health, has shown that displaying the Nutri-Score on food products in advertising would lead consumers to choose foods that are more favorable to their health.
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Food advertising in the public health spotlight
Advertising for foods high in sugar, fat or salt encourages consumers to buy and consume them, increasing the risk of obesity and chronic disease. Tackling the harmful effects of advertising for foods of unfavorable nutritional quality is a recognized public health objective. With this in mind, researchers at Aix-Marseille Université and Sorbonne Paris Nord Université have been investigating the impact of Nutri-Score advertising on the choice of foods purchased and consumed. This work promises to be essential at a time when the European Union is considering whether to impose the Nutri-Score on packaging and advertising throughout Europe.
Examining product perception and consumption intention
Their research is based on a randomized controlled trial involving 27,085 participants from the NutriNet-Santé cohort, randomly assigned to three groups. Participants in the first group were exposed to advertisements for foods with contrasting nutritional qualities in nine different food categories (cereals, drinks, breakfast, bars, cookies, savoury snacks, cold meats, ready-to-eat meals and desserts) in which the Nutri-Score was displayed. The second group was exposed to the same ads, but without the Nutri-Score displayed. In the third group, participants were not exposed to the ads (control group). All participants were asked to answer a questionnaire on the Internet concerning their perceptions of all the products and their intentions to buy and consume them.
Displaying the Nutri-Score produces three results
Three main results were recognized when the Nutri-Score was displayed in commercials (compared to not displaying the Nutri-Score).
Firstly, perceptions of foods were better for those classified as Nutri-Score A or B (i.e. the most favorable nutritional quality), with stronger intentions to buy and consume them. When products were Nutri-Score D or E, i.e. of more unfavorable nutritional quality, perceptions were, on the contrary, less favorable, with lower purchase and consumption intentions. Finally, there was little or no effect on perceptions and purchase and consumption intentions for foods of intermediate nutritional quality (Nutri-Score C).
Displaying the Nutri-Score in ads would lead to healthier food choices
" This research is the first to show that displaying the Nutri-Score in advertisements would actually help consumers to direct their choices towards foods of better nutritional quality, more favorable to health. Regulations making it compulsory to display the Nutri-Score in food advertisements could therefore be an effective public health measure in the fight against the obesity epidemic and nutrition-related chronic diseases among adults and children. This measure could perfectly complement another measure recommended by a multitude of public health organizations such as a ban on daytime advertising of Nutri-Score D and E food products targeting children." points out Prof. Didier Courbet, first author of the publication.
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Reference: Courbet, D., Jacquemier, L., Hercberg, S., Touvier, M., Sarda, G., Kesse-Guyot, E., Galan, P., Buttafoghi, N., & Julia C.. A randomized controlled trial to test the effects of displaying the Nutri-Score in food advertising on consumer perceptions and intentions to purchase and consume. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 21, 38 (2024).
Article published April 29, 2024.
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