The effect of on-shelf sugar labeling on beverage sales in the supermarket: a comparative interrupted time series analysis of a natural experiment

Abstract

Background Nutrition labels show potential in increasing healthy food and beverage purchases, but their effectiveness seems to depend on the type of label, the targeted food category and the setting, and evidence on their impact in real-world settings is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an industry-designed on-shelf sugar label on the sales of beverages with no, low, medium and high sugar content implemented within a real-world supermarket. Methods In week 17 of 2019, on-shelf sugar labels were implemented by a Dutch supermarket chain. Non-alcoholic beverages were classified using a traffic-light labeling system and included the beverage categories “green” for sugar free (< 1.25 g/250 ml), “blue” for low sugar (1.25–6.24 g/250 ml), “yellow” for medium sugar (6.25–13.5 g/250 ml) and “amber” for high sugar (> 13.5 g/250 ml). Store-level data on beverage sales and revenue from 41 randomly selected supermarkets for 13 weeks pre-implementation and 21 weeks post-implementation were used for analysis. In total, 30 stores implemented the on-shelf sugar labels by week 17, and the 11 stores that had not were used as comparisons. Outcome measures were differences in the number of beverages sold in the four label categories and the total revenue from beverage sales in implementation stores relative to comparison stores. Analyses were conducted using a multiple-group Interrupted Time Series Approach. Results of individual store data were combined using random effect meta-analyses. Results At the end of the intervention period, the changes in sales of beverages with green (B 3.4, 95%CI -0.3; 7.0), blue (B 0.0, 95%CI -0.6; 0.7), yellow (B 1.3, 95%CI -0.9; 3.5), and amber (B 0.9, 95%CI -5.5; 7.3) labels were not significantly different between intervention and comparison stores. The changes in total revenues for beverages at the end of the intervention period were also not significantly different between intervention and comparison stores. Conclusion The implementation of an on-shelf sugar labeling system did not significantly decrease unhealthy beverage sales or significantly increase healthier beverage sales. Nutrition labeling initiatives combined with complementary strategies, such as pricing strategies or other healthy food nudging approaches, should be considered to promote healthier beverage purchases.

Exploring the effects of added sugar labels on food purchasing behaviour in Australian parents: An online randomised controlled trial

“…Our labels were smaller (and arguably more realistic) than have been tested in some previous studies [ 21 ]. Similar to our findings, a recent natural experiment in a real-world Dutch supermarket chain found that industry-designed on-shelf labels indicating the sugar content of non-alcoholic beverages using a colour-coded system (blue [lowest sugar content], green, yellow, amber [highest sugar content]) did not affect sales [ 34 ].…”

Impact of Obesogenic Environments on Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption among Preschoolers: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Beijing

“…So far, few SSB products high in sugar have provided sugar content information on the NFP in China [ 48 ]. Nutritional labeling is a vital tool to promote healthier choices, while the previous evidence has suggested that compulsorily added new nutritional information (e.g., added sugars and percent daily values for added sugars) alone would not be sufficient to affect choices of beverages [ 49 , 50 ], and consumers might be required to improve their perceptions on healthy choices and their capability to interpret the information in nutritional labeling via health education and promotion, so as to use it frequently [ 51 ]. To reduce the SSB consumption rates among preschoolers, the use of evidence-based measures aiming to improve parental awareness of the health effects of SSBs and to improve their self-efficacy to choose healthier drinks [ 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ] may be an indispensable strategy.…”

The impact of shelf tags with Nutri-Score on consumer purchases: a difference-in-difference analysis of a natural experiment in supermarkets of a major retailer in Belgium

“…A similar study with MTL was carried out in an online supermarket in Australia [ 15 ], but there was no evidence that the FOP labels led to an increase in sales of healthier foods after 10 weeks. A recent study from the Netherlands evaluated the effectiveness of an industry-designed on-shelf sugar label on the sales of beverages with no, low, medium and high sugar content implemented within a real-world supermarket [ 16 ]. The study found that this label did not significantly decrease unhealthy beverage sales or significantly increase healthier beverage sales [ 16 ].…”

“…A recent study from the Netherlands evaluated the effectiveness of an industry-designed on-shelf sugar label on the sales of beverages with no, low, medium and high sugar content implemented within a real-world supermarket [ 16 ]. The study found that this label did not significantly decrease unhealthy beverage sales or significantly increase healthier beverage sales [ 16 ]. Two studies were carried out with Guiding stars attached to the shelves adjacent to the foods in supermarket chains in Canada and the USA.…”