Making Nutritional Information Digestible: Effects of a Receipt-Based Intervention on Fast Food Purchases

Kelly Bedard, University of California, Santa Barbara
Peter Kuhn, University of California, Santa Barbara

We find that the introduction of receipts that include both nutrition information and ordering suggestions had a measurable effect on purchasing behavior at a fast-food chain. The strongest and most persistent effects were on within-category item substitutions that were encouraged by the messages, such as substituting ham or bacon for sausage in a breakfast sandwich, or switching from fries to a side salad. The results suggest that providing easily-understood information about healthier product substitutions that are based on a consumer’s current purchases can affect purchasing behavior on future restaurant visits.