Food Labeling
Food labeling plays a critical role in shaping consumer understanding and choices, serving as a key policy tool to promote transparency, guide healthier eating, and influence food industry practices.
Our food labeling research investigates how different label formats—such as front-of-package warning labels, nutrient-specific icons, and ingredient disclosures—impact consumer understanding, purchasing behavior, and dietary choices. Our work also examines how labeling interventions can support the implementation of other food policies.
Policy Questions
Do front-of-package nutrition labels influence consumer and industry behavior?
Clear, visible nutrition labels on the front of food packaging help shoppers make healthier choices, by making nutrition information easier to understand and compare.
Such labels also encourage food manufacturers to change their products (for example, reformulating to reduce unhealthy ingredients) to avoid being associated with negative or warning‐style labels.
Can calorie labels on restaurant menus influence purchases?
After menu calorie labeling was implemented across large fast-food chains in the U.S., the average calories per transaction sold dropped by about 4.7% (≈ 73 fewer calories per transaction) compared to what would have been expected without labeling.
Impacts & Key Findings
4.7%
Decrease in calories per transaction after a fast food franchise began labeling.
11.0%
Calories purchased from prepared deli items declined by 11.0% after labeling and calories purchased from bakery items declined by 5.1% after labeling in large supermarket chain.
