The response to nutritional labels: Evidence from a quasi-experiment

Abstract

This paper evaluates a UK policy that aimed to improve dietary information provision by introducing nutrition labelling on retailers' store-brand products. Exploiting the differential timing of the introduction of Front-of-Pack nutrition labels as a quasi-experiment, our findings suggest that labelling led to a reduction in the quantity purchased of labelled store-brand foods, and an improvement in their nutritional composition. More specifically, we find that households reduced the total monthly calories from labelled store-brand foods by 588 kcal, saturated fats by 14 g, sugars by 7 g, and sodium by 0.8 mg.

Keywords: Consumer response; Difference-in-difference; Front-of-Pack nutrition labelling; Triple difference.