Centro de Investigación Básica en Psicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.
Instituto Polo Tecnológico de Pando, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.
Appetite. 2023 Sep 1;188:106634. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106634. Epub 2023 Jun 24.
Nutritional warning labels are gaining relevance in the region of the Americas as a policy tool to reduce information asymmetry and encourage healthier food choices. However, empirical evidence about consumer experiences with warning labels after implementation is still scarce. In this context, the aim of the present work was to explore the use of nutritional warning labels after policy implementation in Uruguay, using a combination of eye-tracking and self-reported data. The study was conducted in three supermarkets, in two regional capitals, 19 months after the entry into force of the policy. A total of 224 participants were intercepted while entering the facilities of the supermarket and asked to wear a mobile eye-tracker while making their food purchases. Then, they were asked a series of questions about their awareness and use of warning labels. Although participants reported high awareness and understanding of the labels, active search and use at the point of purchase was low. Only 6% of the consumers declared having actively searched for the warning labels and 7% fixated their gaze on the labels. The majority of the participants (72%) who declared having seen the warnings on a product, purchased it anyway. However, 56% declared having changed their food choice decisions as a consequence of the implementation of the policy. Participants' accounts about reasons for (not) taking into account the warning labels provide relevant insights for the development of strategies to encourage citizens to increase policy effectiveness and encourage healthier food choices.
营养警示标签作为减少信息不对称和鼓励更健康食品选择的政策工具，在美洲地区日益受到关注。然而，关于政策实施后消费者对警示标签的体验的实证证据仍然很少。在这种情况下，本研究的目的是探索乌拉圭在政策实施后使用营养警示标签的情况，采用眼动追踪和自我报告数据相结合的方法。该研究在两个地区首府的三家超市进行，在政策生效 19 个月后进行。共有 224 名参与者在进入超市时被拦截，并被要求在购买食品时佩戴移动眼动追踪器。然后，他们被问到一系列关于他们对警示标签的意识和使用的问题。尽管参与者报告了对标签的高度意识和理解，但在购买点的主动搜索和使用仍然很低。只有 6%的消费者表示曾主动搜索过警示标签，只有 7%的消费者注视过标签。大多数声称在产品上看到过警告的参与者（72%）仍然购买了该产品。然而，56%的参与者表示，由于该政策的实施，他们已经改变了食品选择决定。参与者关于（不）考虑警示标签的原因的说法为制定鼓励公民提高政策效果和鼓励更健康食品选择的策略提供了相关的见解。
