Summary
This randomised trial examined how front-of-package labelling strategies affect parental beverage choices for children aged 0–5 years. Among 5005 US caregivers, high-added sugar warning labels—particularly when paired with teaspoon-of-sugar disclosures—significantly reduced both the proportion selecting high-added sugar beverages (6.4 percentage points) and the added sugar content of chosen drinks (−1.3 g; −14.2%). Removing marketing claims and fruit imagery also reduced high-added sugar beverage selection, whereas percentage juice disclosures had no significant effect on choice.
Regional applicability
The study was conducted in the United States and reflects US beverage labelling practices and parental behaviour. The findings are likely transferable to United Kingdom consumers where similar front-of-package marketing and added sugar labelling debates are ongoing; however, UK regulations already mandate front-of-package nutrition labels and may have different baseline awareness levels, potentially affecting the magnitude of warning label impact.
Key measures
Primary: type of beverage chosen (high-added sugar vs. other); added sugar content (grams); calories (kcal). Secondary: parental knowledge of added sugar and percentage juice; perceptions of beverages.
Outcomes reported
The study measured parental beverage choices for children aged 0-5 years across seven front-of-package labelling conditions, including the type of beverage selected and resulting added sugar (grams) and caloric content. Secondary outcomes included parental knowledge about added sugar and juice percentage, and perceptions of beverages.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Ask about this record, its theme or its relevance to UK farming and policy. Pulse AI uses selected catalogue evidence and cites the sources it draws on.