Using Online Food Retail ‘ Nudges ’ to Promote Healthier Beverage Intake among Low-Income Children
Summary
This study seeks to develop and test the impact of “nudges” in an online grocery store on purchases of fruit drinks and healthier substitutes among a sample of low-income parents of children ages 1-5 years. The goal of this project is to reduce fruit drink intake among low-income children, including those whose parents participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as a strategy to reduce childhood health disparities. Specific aims include: (1) Develop two food retail nudges to discourage fruit drink purchases and promote healthier substitutes in the online store; (2) Examine the impact of online store nudges on purchases of fruit drinks in an online randomized controlled experiment with low-income parents, including SNAP-participating parents, of children ages 1-5 years (n=2,128); and (3) Disseminate findings to retailers by collaborating with the Fair Food Network to disseminate results to their retailer partners, including those who participate in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot.