Modification des achats en réponse à l'apposition de différents logos d'évaluation nutritionnelle sur la face avant des emballages

In a laboratory experiment, we study consumer responses to seven nutrition 'Front-of-Pack' rating icons. Nutritional quality is assessed according to the levels in salt, free sugar and saturated fatty acids. In addition to the GDA icons, the six other icons vary according to three choices: rating the whole product or breaking down nutrients, relating to the whole set of products or to a product family, signalling or not bad ratings. Three hundred and sixty-four subjects were asked to fill their shopping cart for 2 days of household consumption. They could choose among 273 products grouped into 35 families. In a second step, they could revise their shopping cart after one icon had been exhaustively implemented to the 273 products. Every seven icons significantly improve the nutritional quality of shopping carts. An efficient icon rates the product (rather than the nutrients), and signals both healthy and unhealthy products, even if such a signal generates toxic effects. The GDA icon lies at the median of our chart list. Salt appears specific: our icons reveal insufficient for reducing its consumption.