After the implementation of a new series of food labels that represent harmful quantities of different ingredients with little "red light" circles, companies might be willing to see if they are worth the time to use or are simply a fad. Well, the news seems to be in that this approach to food labels is actually effective in guiding consumers to make strong dietary choices.
In a paper released recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a team of researchers looked at the results of the "traffic light" system over a period of two years in an attempt to determine whether it was worth keeping. The conclusion: participants did eat healthier diets, and were able to recognize bad choices when they saw them.
The trial took place in Massachusetts General Hospital, with cafeteria interactions tracked in order to obtain usable information. Over time, the amount of foods deemed "red," or unhealthy, that were purchased dropped by 20 percent from the original baseline measurement, while beverages in the same classification decreased by 39 percent.
Because these labels parse statistical information in a way that consumers might easily understand for themselves, there's the chance that this approach might lead to wider appreciation of this method.
"The results of this study provide strong evidence that a simple traffic-light labeling and choice architecture intervention can improve healthy food and beverage choices of a diverse population over a sustained period of time," the report reads.
Color appears to be a big part of why this system is seemingly successful, so your company, should it deem this important, might have an especial need for a color label printer.
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