Investigating the conditions for the effectiveness of nudging: Cue-to-action nudging increases familiar vegetable choice

Publication date: Available online 13 August 2018Source: Food Quality and PreferenceAuthor(s): V.J.V. Broers, S. Van de Broucke, C. Taverne, O. LuminetAbstractInulin-type fructans (ITF), which are fibres found in vegetables such as salsify, artichoke and Jerusalem artichoke, are known for their prebiotic capacities and may contribute to preventing obesity. The current study aimed to assess the differential effects of type-2 and combined type-1 and -2 nudges to increase the choice for “prebiotic” vegetables at a hot vegetable buffet of a university restaurant, using a nonrandomized intervention study design involving two interventions during five consecutive weeks. An intervention was implemented in which customers were exposed to type-2 nudging in the form of short “cue-to-action” messages placed on their trays and above the hot vegetable buffet, and to an additional type-1 nudging intervention in the form of placing dishes with “prebiotic” vegetables in a more accessible place. On average, 28 servings of hot vegetables were registered on a total of 503 meals sold at the restaurant per day. The beta regression model showed that the “cue-to-action” intervention increased the proportion of customers who used the hot vegetable buffet (p<.001, OR: 1.24), but that the proportion of “prebiotic” vegetables chosen decreased during the “cue-to-action” intervention weeks (p<.01, OR: 0.73). The cue-to-action intervention increased familiar vegetable choic...
Source: Food Quality and Preference - Category: Food Science Source Type: research