Posted: July 8, 2020
Evidence from tobacco control shows that placing health warning labels (HWLs) on cigarette packs reduces their selection and consumption, with image-and-text HWLs (often called ‘pictorial’ or ‘graphic’ warning labels) more effective than text-only HWLs. The current study aimed to assess the potential impact of HWLs on food and alcohol products.
We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to assess the impact of HWLs on selection or consumption of food (including non-alcoholic drinks) or alcoholic drinks. We searched for all randomised controlled experiments and found fourteen eligible studies, with more than 13,000 participants. Most of these studies looked at non-alcoholic drinks, specifically sugary drinks, and the majority of studies measured product selection.
The results of this review indicated that both image-and-text and text-only HWLs reduced selection of the target product compared to no label, with participants 26% less likely to choose a product with a HWL. However, all experiments were conducted in laboratory or online settings, as opposed to real world settings, with the majority of these measuring hypothetical selection, and results suggested larger effects in the artificial online settings. Studies in field and more naturalistic laboratory settings are urgently needed to assess the impact of HWLs in the real-world.
To read the findings of the study in full, click here.
Clarke, N., Pechey, E., Kosīte, D., König, L. M., Mantzari, E., Blackwell, A. K. M., Marteau, T. M., & Hollands, G. J. (2020). Impact of Health Warning Labels on Selection and Consumption of Food and Alcohol Products: Systematic Review with Meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2020.1780147
