An interventional study of Price reduction on healthier foods and Price increase to less healthy foods in Food Selection, Healthy Eating and Eating Behavior, sponsored by University of Liverpool. Completed at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-01-28.
Sponsored by University of Liverpool · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
The goal of this randomised controlled trial is to compare taxation with subsidies to encourage healthier food choices in the out-of-home food sector. Participants will be asked to make hypothetical food choices in an online simulation study of a delivery app. Participants will be randomised into four different intervention groups:
The investigators will further examine effectiveness of these fiscal policies on healthy eating by socioeconomic position to understand whether these policies are equitable.
University of Liverpool is the lead sponsor of 99 studies on the registry; 10 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Price reduction of 10% for healthier dishes (based on a score of less than 4 on the UK Nutrient Profile Model (NPM)) * Existing price structure for less healthy dishes (based on a score of 4 or higher on the UK NPM)
Behavioral: Price reduction on healthier foods
* Price increase of 10% for less healthy dishes (based on a score of less than 4 on the UK NPM) * Existing price structure for healthier dishes (based on a score of 4 or higher on the UK NPM)
Behavioral: Price increase to less healthy foods
* Price reduction of 10% for healthier dishes (based on a score of less than 4 on the UK NPM) * Price increase of 10% for less healthy dishes (based on a score of 4 or higher on the UK NPM)
Behavioral: Combination of price reduction on healthier foods and price increase on less healthy foods
- No changes in prices
Behavioral: Control
Price reduction (10%) on healthier foods based on the UK NPM
Price increase (10%) on less healthy foods based on the UK NPM
Combination of price reduction (10%) on healthier foods based on the UK NPM and price increase (10%) on less healthy foods based on the UK NPM
Existing price structure
Healthier vs less healthy main meals ordered based on the Nutrient Profiling Model and total energy (kcal)
Healthier vs less healthy main meals ordered
Time frame: immediately after food choice
Total energy (kcal) ordered
The total energy content of the total hypothetical food order
Time frame: immediately after food choice
Proportion of selecting healthier vs less healthy meal items of the total food order based on the Nutrient Profiling Model and total energy (kcal)
Proportion of selecting healthier vs less healthy meal items of the total hypothetical food order
Time frame: immediately after food choice
Total fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar ordered
Total fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar of total hypothetical food order
Time frame: immediately after food choice
Plan to share: Yes — Study data (anonymised) will be shared on the Open Science Framework (OSF)
Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
University of Liverpool