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Optimal Design of an Added-Sugar Menu Warning Label: A Randomized Experiment
Brittany Lemmon1, Andrea Gil2, Aviva A Musicus3
1Graduate Group in Epidemiology, University of California Davis, Davis, California.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|September 22, 2025
Summary
Icon-plus-text warning labels significantly increase noticeability and recognition of high-added-sugar items on menus. These labels also effectively reduce added sugar consumption, demonstrating their value in public health initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Added-sugar warning labels on restaurant menus can decrease added-sugar intake.
- Label effectiveness is contingent upon their noticeability and recognizability.
- This study investigated design elements influencing label perception and behavioral responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine which menu label design elements enhance noticeability and recognizability.
- To assess the impact of different label designs on consumer purchasing behavior regarding high-added-sugar items.
- To evaluate the efficacy of various warning label configurations in reducing added sugar consumption.
Main Methods:
- An online randomized experiment involving 4,083 US adults was conducted.
- A 3 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design tested label type, color, size, and placement.
- Participants viewed menus with labels next to high-added-sugar items; noticing, recognition, and ordering behaviors were measured.
Main Results:
- Icon-plus-text labels increased noticing by 508% and recognition by 263% compared to icon-only labels.
- Red color, larger size, and right-side placement also improved noticing and recognition, particularly for icon-only labels.
- Icon-plus-text labels reduced high-added-sugar item orders by 11% and added sugar ordered by 10.5 g.
Conclusions:
- Icon-plus-text labels are significantly more effective than icon-only labels for increasing noticeability, recognition, and reducing added sugar intake.
- While red color, larger size, and right placement offer secondary benefits, they do not match the efficacy of the icon-plus-text design.
- Optimizing menu label design is crucial for public health interventions aimed at reducing added sugar consumption.
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