Behavioral Economic Interventions at Food Pantries

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The investigators run a series of behavioral economic interventions at client-choice food pantries to encourage clients to choose targeted foods.

Detailed Description
-----------------
The study includes simple interventions at food pantries in New York State. In the initial phase, the investigators are testing the effect of order, packaging, pricing products, and relative proportion of products at a food pantry.

Official Title
-----------------
An Analysis of Behavioral Economic Interventions at Client-Choice Food Pantries

Conditions
-----------------
Food Selection

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Order
* Behavioral: Packaging
* Behavioral: Pricing
* Behavioral: Relative Proportions
* Behavioral: Default Option


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Client in food pantry Exclusion Criteria: Minors

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 19 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Order<br>The investigators arrange the placement of the targeted good to see if the order affects selection. | Behavioral: Order<br>* In the order intervention, the investigators place the targeted product at the front of the line for the treatment. For the control, the investigators place the targeted product at the end of the line.<br>|
| Experimental: Packaging<br>The investigators adjust the packaging of the targeted good to determine the effects on selection. | Behavioral: Packaging<br>* In the packaging intervention, the investigator present the targeted product in the original package. In the control, the investigator repackage the targeted product in clear, plastic bags.<br>|
| Experimental: Pricing<br>In food pantries, few products are priced. The investigators use pricing of products to determine its effect on selection. | Behavioral: Pricing<br>* In the pricing intervention, the investigators price all or targeted products in the treatment. In the control, the investigators do not price the products.<br>|
| Experimental: Relative Proportions<br>The investigators adjust the proportion of the products to determine the effect on the selection of the targeted product. | Behavioral: Relative Proportions<br>* The investigators adjust the amount of the targeted good available relative to the other products. In the treatment, the targeted good is a larger proportion of the total goods offered in the section, while in the control the shares of the targeted and other goods are equal.<br>|
| Experimental: Default Option<br>The investigators provide a targeted product to subjects at one point. Later, investigators offer subjects the possibility to exchange the targeted product for a close substitute. | Behavioral: Default Option<br>* In an early site, the investigators offer a targeted product without an alternative. The subjects can accept or reject the offer. The subjects are told that an alternative product is available later. At the site where the alternative product is available, investigators offer subjects the opportunity to exchanged the targeted product for the alternative product.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of Targeted Products Selected Relative to Others | As subjects choose products from sections of the food pantry, the investigators observe the selection of the targeted product among the other products available. If the targeted product is selected the investigators denote it with a one and zero otherwise. The investigators average the outcome over five and 10 subjects. The investigators also use probit and logistic models to estimate the probability of uptake. | up to 8 months | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
behavioral economics, food pantry, food choice