Traffic light nutrition labeling preferences among children

Abstract

Objective This study evaluates the effects of traffic light (TL) nutritional label attributes on children’s food choices. Data were collected from a survey of 1179 Ecuadorian students attending public middle and high school in three major cities in the country’s southern region (Machala, Loja, and Zamora). The survey instrument included two sets of choice experiments: one with yogurt products and the other with soft drinks (sodas and juices). In the choice scenarios, children were presented with two products that differed in price and the TL label colors for sugar, salt, and fat. Children’s product selections in the choice experiments were analyzed using mixed logit models. The results indicate that labels affect food choices. Additionally, children are willing to pay increasing premium levels for products with yellow, green, and “does not contain” labels compared to products with red labels. Overall, the study’s findings offer evidence that TL labels are effective in helping children make food choices consistent with their preferences for food products with TL labels representing healthier alternatives.