Trial reportThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2023
The impact of calorie labelling and proportional pricing on out of home food orders: a randomised controlled trial study using a virtual food and drink delivery app.
Trial report in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Offline to online: a systematic mapping review of evidence to inform nutrition-related policies applicable to online food delivery platforms.BMC medicine · 2024Pooled it
- The effect of healthier menu item price reductions in the out-of-home food sector on energy purchased and consumed: a restaurant-based pilot experiment.BMC public health · 2025Trial
- Do calorie labels change energy purchased in a simulated online food delivery platform? A multi-arm randomised controlled trial.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2024Trial
- Is there a healthy-food premium? A cross-sectional analysis of the UK online food delivery sector.Health promotion international · 2026Article
- Assessing barriers to dietary practices and healthy eating of female university students in nutrition programs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Changes in out-of-home food purchasing following the introduction of England's calorie labelling regulations: a population-level controlled interrupted time series analysis.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- The effect of proportional pricing on alcohol purchasing in two online experiments.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2025Article
- Effect on consumers' sustainable purchase intention of dietary supplement purine labeling.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMandatory calorie labelling in the out-of-home food sector was introduced in England in 2022, and menu pricing strategies that ensure cost is equivalent to portion size (proportional pricing) have been proposed as a policy to reduce obesity. Food delivery app-based platforms now contribute significantly to diet, and evidence suggests that those at a socioeconomic disadvantage may have greater exposure to unhealthy options on these platforms. However, public health policies to improve nutritional quality of food ordered from food delivery apps has received limited examination.
objectiveThis experimental study assessed the impact of calorie labelling and proportional pricing on item and meal size selection, calories ordered, and money spent when selecting food and drinks from three outlet types on a virtual delivery app.
methodsUK adult participants (N = 1126, 49% female), stratified by gender and education level completed an online study where they ordered items from three branded food and beverage outlets (coffee shop, sandwich outlet, fast food outlet) using a virtual delivery app. Participants were presented food and beverage options with vs. without calorie labels and with value (larger portions are proportionally cheaper) vs. proportional pricing.
resultsCalorie labelling did not influence portion size selection for any outlets, but significantly reduced calories ordered from the coffee shop (-18.95kcals, 95% CI -33.07 to -4.84) and fast food outlet (-54.19kcals, 95% CI -86.04 to -22.33). Proportional pricing reduced the likelihood of choosing a larger beverage from the coffee shop (OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.75), but was associated with increased calories ordered from the fast food outlet (51.25kcals, 95% CI 19.59 to 82.90). No consistent interactions were observed with participant characteristics, suggesting that effects of calorie labelling and pricing on outcomes were similar across sociodemographic groups.
conclusionsCalorie labelling on food delivery platforms may effectively reduce calories ordered. Proportional pricing may be useful in prompting consumers to select smaller portion sizes, although further research in real-world settings will now be valuable.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.