The effectiveness of nutrition education and labeling in Dutch supermarkets

Nutrition education and labeling may help consumers to eat less fat. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of nutrition education with and without shelf labeling on reduced fat intake in Dutch supermarkets.

The design consisted of a randomized, pretest-posttest, experimental control group design. In total, 2203 clients of 13 supermarkets were included in the sample. Total fat intake of clients and behavioral determinants of eating less fat were measured by a questionnaire. A mixed-effect regression model was used for the analysis.

No significant effects were found for the educational intervention, alone or with the labeling, on total fat intake and the psychosocial determinants of eating less fat.

Nutrition education and labeling of low-fat food products in supermarkets did not prove to be effective strategies. The fact that the supermarket is a highly competitive environment may have accounted for this lack of effect.