Academic Journal
The impact of restricting price promotions on foods high in fat, sugar and salt on purchasing behaviours: a randomised controlled trial in a simulated online supermarket in the UK.
| Title: | The impact of restricting price promotions on foods high in fat, sugar and salt on purchasing behaviours: a randomised controlled trial in a simulated online supermarket in the UK. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Jia R; Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK., Bianchi F; Behavioural Insights Team, UK.; NESTA, UK., Luick M; Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, UK., Hilliard D; NESTA, UK., Bain F; NESTA, UK., Bandy L; Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK., Finlayson A; Behavioural Insights Team, UK., Horwell B; Behavioural Insights Team, UK., Meyer Zu Brickwedde E; Behavioural Insights Team, UK., Stuijfzand B; Behavioural Insights Team, UK., Tagliaferri G; Behavioural Insights Team, UK., Whitwell-Mak J; Behavioural Insights Team, UK., Pechey R; Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK., Harper H; NESTA, UK. |
| Source: | Public health nutrition [Public Health Nutr] 2026 Jul 09; Vol. 29 (1), pp. e156. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 09. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Cambridge University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9808463 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1475-2727 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 13689800 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Public Health Nutr Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: <2007- > : Oxford : Cambridge University Press Original Publication: Wallingford, Oxon, UK : Published on behalf of the Nutrition Society by CAB International, c1998- |
| MeSH Terms: | Dietary Fats*/economics , Dietary Fats*/administration & dosage , Consumer Behavior*/economics , Dietary Sugars*/economics , Sodium Chloride, Dietary*/economics , Commerce* , Food Markets* , Food Preferences*, Diet/economics ; Humans ; United Kingdom ; Adult ; Female ; Male ; Choice Behavior ; Middle Aged ; Energy Intake |
| Abstract: | Objective: Price promotions influence food choices and are disproportionately applied to foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), consumption of which is a known contributor to poor diet and diet-related non-communicable diseases. This study evaluates the effectiveness of (1) restricting price promotions of HFSS products and (2) allowing such promotions but restricting communications regarding them in changing purchasing behaviours. Design: Between-subjects randomised controlled trial with three arms: (1) reduced price, labelled a price promotion ('Usual Practice'); (2) reduced price, not labelled a price promotion ('No Communication') and (3) standard price ('No Promotion'). Participants selected food and drinks for 2 d in a one-off shop, without restrictions on the number of items to purchase or the budget, at a simulated online supermarket. We measured total energy (kcal) in basket, total cost, total number of items, energy density (kcal/100 g) and proportion of the basket that was HFSS. Setting: Simulated online supermarket. Participants: Adults representative of the UK population (n 9004). Results: There were no significant differences in energy in baskets between groups, after controlling for age, sex, household income, ethnicity and deprivation. No significant differences were found between groups' baskets for total cost, energy density or proportion HFSS. Participants in the 'Usual Practice' group selected significantly more items than the 'No Promotion' group (11·4 v. 11·1; P = 0·003). Conclusions: No significant effects of restricting price promotions, or communications of them, were found for purchasing behaviours in a simulated online supermarket. Further price-based interventions, especially in real-world settings, are needed to provide robust policy recommendations. |
| References: | Appetite. 2023 Jul 1;186:106539. (PMID: 36931348) BMJ. 2010 Mar 23;340:c332. (PMID: 20332509) Appetite. 2020 Apr 1;147:104547. (PMID: 31812558) Public Health Nutr. 2020 Aug;23(12):2228-2233. (PMID: 32366342) Curr Dev Nutr. 2024 Nov 20;9(1):104509. (PMID: 39735732) Appetite. 2024 Sep 1;200:107579. (PMID: 38914261) Addiction. 2026 Feb;121(2):388-399. (PMID: 41115688) PLoS Med. 2022 Feb 17;19(2):e1003915. (PMID: 35176022) BMJ Open. 2019 Jun 27;9(6):e026652. (PMID: 31253615) BMC Public Health. 2020 Mar 12;20(1):312. (PMID: 32164634) Health Econ. 2023 Jan;32(1):25-46. (PMID: 36183337) Appetite. 2019 Feb 1;133:378-386. (PMID: 30502442) BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2024 Feb 13;7(1):78-87. (PMID: 38966105) Nutrients. 2010 Jan;2(1):60-74. (PMID: 22253992) J Epidemiol Community Health. 2005 Dec;59(12):1054-7. (PMID: 16286493) JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2023 Dec 19;9:e41540. (PMID: 38113090) Nutr Rev. 2009 Jun;67(6):333-42. (PMID: 19519674) |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Communication; HFSS; Price; Promotion; Randomised controlled trial |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 0 (Dietary Fats) 0 (Dietary Sugars) 0 (Sodium Chloride, Dietary) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260709 Date Completed: 20260729 Latest Revision: 20260910 |
| Update Code: | 20260911 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13434572 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S1368980026103073 |
| PMID: | 42421305 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
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| Header | DbId: cmedm DbLabel: MEDLINE An: 42421305 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The impact of restricting price promotions on foods high in fat, sugar and salt on purchasing behaviours: a randomised controlled trial in a simulated online supermarket in the UK. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Jia+R%22">Jia R</searchLink>; Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Bianchi+F%22">Bianchi F</searchLink>; Behavioural Insights Team, UK.; NESTA, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Luick+M%22">Luick M</searchLink>; Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Hilliard+D%22">Hilliard D</searchLink>; NESTA, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Bain+F%22">Bain F</searchLink>; NESTA, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Bandy+L%22">Bandy L</searchLink>; Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Finlayson+A%22">Finlayson A</searchLink>; Behavioural Insights Team, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Horwell+B%22">Horwell B</searchLink>; Behavioural Insights Team, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Meyer+Zu+Brickwedde+E%22">Meyer Zu Brickwedde E</searchLink>; Behavioural Insights Team, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Stuijfzand+B%22">Stuijfzand B</searchLink>; Behavioural Insights Team, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Tagliaferri+G%22">Tagliaferri G</searchLink>; Behavioural Insights Team, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Whitwell-Mak+J%22">Whitwell-Mak J</searchLink>; Behavioural Insights Team, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Pechey+R%22">Pechey R</searchLink>; Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Harper+H%22">Harper H</searchLink>; NESTA, UK. – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%229808463%22">Public health nutrition</searchLink> [Public Health Nutr] 2026 Jul 09; Vol. 29 (1), pp. e156. <i>Date of Electronic Publication: </i>2026 Jul 09. – Name: TypePub Label: Publication Type Group: TypPub Data: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: TitleSource Label: Journal Info Group: Src Data: <i>Publisher: </i><searchLink fieldCode="PB" term="%22Cambridge+University+Press%22">Cambridge University Press </searchLink><i>Country of Publication: </i>England <i>NLM ID: </i>9808463 <i>Publication Model: </i>Electronic <i>Cited Medium: </i>Internet <i>ISSN: </i>1475-2727 (Electronic) <i>Linking ISSN: </i><searchLink fieldCode="IS" term="%2213689800%22">13689800 </searchLink><i>NLM ISO Abbreviation: </i>Public Health Nutr <i>Subsets: </i>MEDLINE – Name: PublisherInfo Label: Imprint Name(s) Group: PubInfo Data: <i>Publication</i>: <2007- > : Oxford : Cambridge University Press<br /><i>Original Publication</i>: Wallingford, Oxon, UK : Published on behalf of the Nutrition Society by CAB International, c1998- – Name: SubjectMESH Label: MeSH Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Dietary+Fats%22">Dietary Fats*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Dietary+Fats+economics%22">economics</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Dietary+Fats%22">Dietary Fats*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Dietary+Fats+administration+%26+dosage%22">administration & dosage</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Consumer+Behavior%22">Consumer Behavior*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Consumer+Behavior+economics%22">economics</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Dietary+Sugars%22">Dietary Sugars*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Dietary+Sugars+economics%22">economics</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Sodium+Chloride%2C+Dietary%22">Sodium Chloride, Dietary*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Sodium+Chloride%2C+Dietary+economics%22">economics</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Commerce%22">Commerce*</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Food+Markets%22">Food Markets*</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Food+Preferences%22">Food Preferences*</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Diet%22">Diet</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Diet+economics%22">economics</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Humans%22">Humans</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Adult%22">Adult</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Female%22">Female</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Male%22">Male</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Choice+Behavior%22">Choice Behavior</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Middle+Aged%22">Middle Aged</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Energy+Intake%22">Energy Intake</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Objective: Price promotions influence food choices and are disproportionately applied to foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), consumption of which is a known contributor to poor diet and diet-related non-communicable diseases. This study evaluates the effectiveness of (1) restricting price promotions of HFSS products and (2) allowing such promotions but restricting communications regarding them in changing purchasing behaviours.<br />Design: Between-subjects randomised controlled trial with three arms: (1) reduced price, labelled a price promotion ('Usual Practice'); (2) reduced price, not labelled a price promotion ('No Communication') and (3) standard price ('No Promotion'). Participants selected food and drinks for 2 d in a one-off shop, without restrictions on the number of items to purchase or the budget, at a simulated online supermarket. We measured total energy (kcal) in basket, total cost, total number of items, energy density (kcal/100 g) and proportion of the basket that was HFSS.<br />Setting: Simulated online supermarket.<br />Participants: Adults representative of the UK population (n 9004).<br />Results: There were no significant differences in energy in baskets between groups, after controlling for age, sex, household income, ethnicity and deprivation. No significant differences were found between groups' baskets for total cost, energy density or proportion HFSS. Participants in the 'Usual Practice' group selected significantly more items than the 'No Promotion' group (11·4 v. 11·1; P = 0·003).<br />Conclusions: No significant effects of restricting price promotions, or communications of them, were found for purchasing behaviours in a simulated online supermarket. Further price-based interventions, especially in real-world settings, are needed to provide robust policy recommendations. – Name: Ref Label: References Group: RefInfo Data: Appetite. 2023 Jul 1;186:106539. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2236931348%22">36931348)</searchLink><br />BMJ. 2010 Mar 23;340:c332. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2220332509%22">20332509)</searchLink><br />Appetite. 2020 Apr 1;147:104547. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231812558%22">31812558)</searchLink><br />Public Health Nutr. 2020 Aug;23(12):2228-2233. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2232366342%22">32366342)</searchLink><br />Curr Dev Nutr. 2024 Nov 20;9(1):104509. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2239735732%22">39735732)</searchLink><br />Appetite. 2024 Sep 1;200:107579. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2238914261%22">38914261)</searchLink><br />Addiction. 2026 Feb;121(2):388-399. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2241115688%22">41115688)</searchLink><br />PLoS Med. 2022 Feb 17;19(2):e1003915. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235176022%22">35176022)</searchLink><br />BMJ Open. 2019 Jun 27;9(6):e026652. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231253615%22">31253615)</searchLink><br />BMC Public Health. 2020 Mar 12;20(1):312. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2232164634%22">32164634)</searchLink><br />Health Econ. 2023 Jan;32(1):25-46. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2236183337%22">36183337)</searchLink><br />Appetite. 2019 Feb 1;133:378-386. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2230502442%22">30502442)</searchLink><br />BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2024 Feb 13;7(1):78-87. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2238966105%22">38966105)</searchLink><br />Nutrients. 2010 Jan;2(1):60-74. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2222253992%22">22253992)</searchLink><br />J Epidemiol Community Health. 2005 Dec;59(12):1054-7. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2216286493%22">16286493)</searchLink><br />JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2023 Dec 19;9:e41540. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2238113090%22">38113090)</searchLink><br />Nutr Rev. 2009 Jun;67(6):333-42. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2219519674%22">19519674)</searchLink> – Name: SubjectMinor Label: Contributed Indexing Group: Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Communication; HFSS; Price; Promotion; Randomised controlled trial – Name: NumberCAS Label: Substance Nomenclature Group: ID Data: 0 (Dietary Fats)<br />0 (Dietary Sugars)<br />0 (Sodium Chloride, Dietary) – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date(s) Group: Date Data: <i>Date Created: </i>20260709 <i>Date Completed: </i>20260729 <i>Latest Revision: </i>20260910 – Name: DateUpdate Label: Update Code Group: Date Data: 20260911 – Name: PubmedCentralID Label: PubMed Central ID Group: ID Data: PMC13434572 – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1017/S1368980026103073 – Name: AN Label: PMID Group: ID Data: 42421305 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1017/S1368980026103073 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: StartPage: e156 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Diet economics Type: general – SubjectFull: Humans Type: general – SubjectFull: United Kingdom Type: general – SubjectFull: Adult Type: general – SubjectFull: Female Type: general – SubjectFull: Male Type: general – SubjectFull: Choice Behavior Type: general – SubjectFull: Middle Aged Type: general – SubjectFull: Energy Intake Type: general – SubjectFull: Dietary Fats economics Type: general – SubjectFull: Dietary Fats administration & dosage Type: general – SubjectFull: Consumer Behavior economics Type: general – SubjectFull: Dietary Sugars economics Type: general – SubjectFull: Sodium Chloride, Dietary economics Type: general – SubjectFull: Commerce Type: general – SubjectFull: Food Markets Type: general – SubjectFull: Food Preferences Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The impact of restricting price promotions on foods high in fat, sugar and salt on purchasing behaviours: a randomised controlled trial in a simulated online supermarket in the UK. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jia R – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bianchi F – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Luick M – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hilliard D – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bain F – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bandy L – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Finlayson A – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Horwell B – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Meyer Zu Brickwedde E – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Stuijfzand B – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Tagliaferri G – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Whitwell-Mak J – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pechey R – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Harper H IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 09 M: 07 Text: 2026 Jul 09 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1475-2727 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 29 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Public health nutrition Type: main |
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