What do Germans really think about health-nudges?

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Public Health Policy
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Policymakers increasingly use behaviorally informed policies, or nudges, for social outcomes like healthier eating and physical activity.
• In Germany, a central unit promotes nudges, yet public awareness and understanding remain low, with critical media coverage.
• The concept of nudging is not widely understood by German citizens, despite its use in policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate German citizens' awareness and approval of the nudging concept and specific health-related interventions.
• To explore how approval varies based on intervention target groups and initiators.
• To assess the public acceptance of nudging as a tool for health behavior change in Germany.

Main Methods:

• A nationally representative online survey of 1000 German participants.
• Assessed awareness of nudging, approval of the concept, and specific interventions for healthy eating and physical activity.
• Analyzed approval based on intervention target groups (general population vs. children) and initiators (government, insurers, companies, experts).

Main Results:

• Nearly 80% of respondents were unaware of nudging prior to the survey.
• Upon receiving a definition, 90% supported the nudging concept and specific health interventions.
• Interventions targeting the general population received higher acceptance than those targeting only children. All tested initiators were accepted.

Conclusions:

• Nudges are an accepted method for promoting health behaviors among Germans.
• Policymakers in Germany should consider the public acceptance of nudges to enhance future health policies.
• The findings suggest a significant potential for implementing nudges in German public health initiatives.