Testing Ultraprocessed Front-of-package Label Among Brazilian Consumers

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The goal of this experiment is to test the effects an ultraprocessed warning label on foods and beverages among Brazilian consumers. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do ultraprocessed warnings affect Brazilian consumers' intention to purchase products? Do ultraprocessed warnings affect Brazilian consumers' product perceptions? Participants will see images of four products carrying either nutrient warning labels (which are currently mandatory in Brazil) or nutrient warning labels alongside an experimental warning label informing that the product is ultraprocessed. Participants will then answer survey questions about each product. Researchers will compare responses between both arms to determine if the ultraprocessed warning significantly changes the effect of nutrient warnings.

Official Title
-----------------
Testing the Impact of an Ultraprocessed Front-of-package Warning Label Among Brazilian Consumers

Conditions
-----------------
Dietary Exposure

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Nutrient warning labels
* Behavioral: Nutrient and ultraprocessed warning labels


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion criteria: 18 years or older, residing in Brazil, responsible for at least 50% of the household's grocery purchases. Exclusion criteria: involvement in any pre-testing.

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years

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

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

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

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Nutrient warnings<br>Individuals in this trial arm will see images of products carrying nutrient warnings that are currently included in Brazil's front-of-package labeling scheme. | Behavioral: Nutrient warning labels<br>* Inclusion of nutrient warning labels, which are currently mandatory in Brazil, to images of food products.<br>|
| Experimental: Nutrient and ultraprocessed warnings<br>Individuals in this trial arm will see images of products carrying nutrient warnings that are currently included in Brazil's front-of-package labeling scheme and an experimental warning stating that the product is ultraprocessed. | Behavioral: Nutrient and ultraprocessed warning labels<br>* Inclusion of nutrient warning labels, which are currently mandatory in Brazil, and an experimental ultraprocessed warning label to images of food products.<br>|

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

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purchase intentions | How likely the participant would be to buy products will be measured by survey. Response options are on a 1 to 5 scale, with higher scores representing a higher likelihood of buying products. | Online survey within 20 minutes following completion of a  10 minute shopping task. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Product healthfulness perceptions | How healthy products seem to the participant will be measured by survey. Response options are on a 1 to 5 scale, with higher scores representing a higher perceived product healthfulness. | Online survey within 20 minutes following completion of a  10 minute shopping task. | 
| Product processing status perceptions | Whether the participant believes products are ultraprocessed will be measured by survey. Responses options are no, yes, and I'm not sure. | Online survey within 20 minutes following completion of a  10 minute shopping task. | 
| Message effectiveness perceptions | Perceived message effectiveness of the study labels will be measured by survey through a three-item scale. Items inquire about how much the labels discourage the participant from wanting to consume the products, how much the labels make the participant concerned about the health effects of consuming the products, and how much the labels make consuming the products seem unpleasant. Response options are on a 1 to 5 scale, with higher scores representing a higher perceived message effectiveness of the study labels. | Online survey within 20 minutes following completion of a  10 minute shopping task. |