Short Communication, Rje Vol: 5 Issue: 8
The challenges and opportunities of nudges and taxation in influencing food consumption behavior
Introduction
Unhealthy eating is a prominent issue faced by all modern societies. Health nudges and taxation are instrumental as policy tools to influence healthier purchasing behaviours, with the aim of reducing the burden of the associated health outcomes.
Aim: To identify and assess effective methods of nudge and taxation in influencing consumer choices and to compare existing traffic light labelling with Front of Package (FoP) warning labels, which are not currently implemented in the UK.
Methods: A thorough literature review, an experiment, and semi-structured interviews with public health professionals were carried out to generate suggestions on improving the efficacy of nudge and taxation policy in the UK. The online experiment involved university students around the UK, predominantly those at Imperial College London. Semi-structured interviews with public health professionals of different backgrounds provided varied viewpoints on the efficacy of nudges and taxations.
Abstract
Introduction: Unhealthy eating is a prominent issue faced by all modern societies. Health nudges and taxation are instrumental as policy tools to influence healthier purchasing behaviours, with the aim of reducing the burden of the associated health outcomes.
Aim To identify and assess effective methods of nudge and taxation in influencing consumer choices and to compare existing traffic light labelling with Front of Package (FoP) warning labels, which are not currently implemented in the UK.