Menu engineering to encourage sustainable food choices when dining out: An online trial of priced-based decoys

Attwood, S., Chesworth, S. and Parkin, B. 2020. Menu engineering to encourage sustainable food choices when dining out: An online trial of priced-based decoys. Appetite. 149 104601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.104601

TitleMenu engineering to encourage sustainable food choices when dining out: An online trial of priced-based decoys
TypeJournal article
AuthorsAttwood, S., Chesworth, S. and Parkin, B.
Abstract

Menu-based ‘nudges’ hold promise as effective ways to encourage a shift away from ruminant meat and towards more environmentally friendly plant-based options when dining out. One example of a menu-based nudge is including an inferior ‘decoy’ option to existing items on menus. Decoys have been shown to influence decision-making in other domains (e.g. Lichters, Bengart, Sarstedt, & Vogt, 2017), but have yet to be used to promote sustainable food choices. Two online randomized controlled trials tested whether the addition of higher priced ‘decoy’ vegetarian options to menus influenced the number of diners choosing a ‘target’ vegetarian option. Adjusted Generalized Estimating Equations on data from four menu conditions showed no main effect of intervention group in study 1 (decoy absent vs. decoy present; odds ratio (OR) 1.08 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.45 to 2.57). Replicating the trial in study 2 across seven menu conditions and testing a more expensive decoy also showed no main effect of the intervention (decoy absent vs. decoy present; OR 0.68 (95% CI 0.41 to 1.12). Further analyses revealed that our price-based decoy strategy (a £30% price increase) did not significantly influence the numbers who chose the inferior decoy dish, potentially due to the fact that dish choices were purely hypothetical. Further research is now needed to clarify which attributes of a dish (e.g. taste, portion size, signature ingredients etc.) are optimal candidates for use as decoys and testing these in real world choice contexts.

KeywordsSustainable diets
Environment
Food choice
Behaviour change
Menu design
Randomized controlled trial
Article number104601
JournalAppetite
Journal citation149
ISSN0195-6663
Year2020
PublisherElsevier
Accepted author manuscript
License
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
File Access Level
Open (open metadata and files)
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.104601
Publication dates
Published online15 Jan 2020
Published in print01 Jun 2020

Related outputs

Testing hypotheses about the harm that capitalism causes to the mind and brain: a theoretical framework for neuroscience research
Kokorikou, D., Sarigiannidis, I., Fiore, V.G., Parkin, B., Hopkins, A., El-Deredy, W., Dilley, L. and Moutoussis, M. 2023. Testing hypotheses about the harm that capitalism causes to the mind and brain: a theoretical framework for neuroscience research. Frontiers in Sociology. 8 1030115. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1030115

Menu design approaches to promote sustainable vegetarian food choices when dining out
Parkin, B. and Attwood, S. 2022. Menu design approaches to promote sustainable vegetarian food choices when dining out. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 79 101721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101721

Dissociable effects of age and Parkinson’s disease on instruction-based learning
Parkin, Beth L, Daws, Richard E, Das-Neves, Ines, Violante, Ines R, Soreq, Eyal, Faisal, A Aldo, Sandrone, Stefano, Lao-Kaim, N., Martin-Bastida, Antonio, Roussakis, A., Piccini, Paola and Hampshire, A. 2021. Dissociable effects of age and Parkinson’s disease on instruction-based learning. Brain Communications. 3 (3) fcab175. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcab175

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and the Understanding of Behavior
Pitcher, David, Parkin, B. and Walsh, Vincent 2021. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and the Understanding of Behavior. Annual Review of Psychology. 72, pp. 97-121. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-081120-013144

The physiological effects of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation do not apply to parameters commonly used in studies of Cognitive Neuromodulation
Parkin, B., Bhandari, M., Glen, J.C. and Walsh, V. 2019. The physiological effects of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation do not apply to parameters commonly used in studies of Cognitive Neuromodulation. Neuropsychologia. 128, pp. 332-339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.03.030

Preserved cognitive functions with age are determined by domain-dependent shifts in network responsivity
Samu, D., Campbell, K., Tsvetanov, K., Shafto, M., Cam-CAN Consortium, Tyler, L. and Parkin, B. 2017. Preserved cognitive functions with age are determined by domain-dependent shifts in network responsivity. Nature Communications . 8 14743. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14743

Gunslingers, poker players, and chickens 3: Decision making under mental performance pressure in junior elite athletes
Parkin, B. and Walsh, V. 2017. Gunslingers, poker players, and chickens 3: Decision making under mental performance pressure in junior elite athletes. in: Wilson, M., Walsh, V. and Parkin, B. (ed.) Sport and the Brain: The Science of Preparing, Enduring and Winning, Part B Elsevier. pp. 339-359

Gunslingers, poker players, and chickens 2: Decision-making under physical performance pressure in subelite athletes.
Parkin, B. and Walsh, V. 2017. Gunslingers, poker players, and chickens 2: Decision-making under physical performance pressure in subelite athletes. in: Wilson, M., Walsh, V. and Parkin, B. (ed.) Sport and the Brain: The Science of Preparing, Enduring and Winning, Part B Elsevier. pp. 317-338

Gunslingers, poker players, and chickens 1: Decision making under physical performance pressure in elite athletes
Parkin, B., Warriner, K. and Walsh, V. 2017. Gunslingers, poker players, and chickens 1: Decision making under physical performance pressure in elite athletes. in: Wilson, M., Walsh, V. and Parkin, B. (ed.) Sport and the Brain: The Science of Preparing, Enduring and Winning, Part B Elsevier. pp. 291-316

Ageing increases reliance on sensorimotor prediction through structural and functional differences in frontostriatal circuits
Wolpe, N., Ingram, J., Tsvetanov, K., Geerligs, L., Kievit, R., Henson, R., Wolpert, D., Cam-CAN Consortium, Rowe, J. and Parkin, B. 2016. Ageing increases reliance on sensorimotor prediction through structural and functional differences in frontostriatal circuits. Nature Communications . 7 13034. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13034

Network mechanisms of intentional learning
Hampshire, A., Hellyer, P., Parkin, B., Hiebert, N., MacDonald, P., Owen, A.M., Leech, R. and Rowe, J. 2016. Network mechanisms of intentional learning. NeuroImage. 127, pp. 123-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.11.060

Dynamic Network Mechanisms of Relational Integration
Parkin, B., Hellyer, P., Leech, R. and Hampshire, A. 2015. Dynamic Network Mechanisms of Relational Integration. Journal of Neuroscience. 35 (20), pp. 7660-7673. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4956-14.2015

Non-Invasive Human Brain 
Stimulation in Cognitive Neuroscience: A Primer
Parkin, B., Leech, R. and Walsh, V. 2015. Non-Invasive Human Brain 
Stimulation in Cognitive Neuroscience: A Primer. Neuron. 87 (5), pp. 932-945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.07.032

Brief response to Ashton and colleagues regarding Fractionating Human Intelligence
Hampshire, A., Parkin, B., Highfield, R. and Owen, A.M. 2014. Brief response to Ashton and colleagues regarding Fractionating Human Intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences. 60, pp. 16-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.11.013

Assessing residual reasoning ability in overtly non-communicative patients using fMRI
Hampshire, A., Parkin, B., Cusack, R., Fernández Espejo, D., Allanson, J., Kamau, E., Pickard, J.D. and Owen, A.M. 2013. Assessing residual reasoning ability in overtly non-communicative patients using fMRI. Neuroimage: Clinical. 2, pp. 174-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2012.11.008

Fractionating Human Intelligence
Hampshire, A., Parkin, B., Highfield, R. and Owen, A.M. 2012. Fractionating Human Intelligence. Neuron. 76 (6), p. 1225–1237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2012.06.022

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/qy35z/menu-engineering-to-encourage-sustainable-food-choices-when-dining-out-an-online-trial-of-priced-based-decoys


Share this

Usage statistics

154 total views
794 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.