Impulsivity in the supermarket. Responses to calorie taxes and subsidies in healthy weight undergraduates

The present study investigated the effect of taxing high-energy dense products and subsidizing low-energy dense products on changes in calorie consumption. More specifically, we hypothesized that ‘more impulsive’ individuals were less influenced by such pricing strategies compared to ‘less impulsive’ individuals. Contrary to our hypothesis, results showed that ‘more impulsive’ individuals adjusted their calorie consumption with regard to price changes whereas ‘less impulsive’ participants were less influenced by price changes. Furthermore, taxing high-energy dense products was more successful in reducing calorie consumption than subsidizing low-energy dense products.

► Effects of Impulsivity in relation with food-taxes and subsidies on calorie purchases. ► Impulsives buy less calories when a tax on high-energy dense food is introduced. ► Impulsives buy more calories from energy dense food when low-energy dense food is subsidized. ► Low-impulsives buy more calories from low-energy dense food if these are subsidized. ► Taxing is more effective in reducing calorie purchases than subsidizing.