A comparison of front of pack nutritional food labelling formats in Northern Ireland using a discrete choice experiment. Food choice is a central factor in weight control and overall health. In today's society there are complex information issues in choosing foods which make up a healthy diet. One method used to assist consumers in making informed food choices is front of pack nutritional food labelling (FoPL). Many versions of FoPL exist in the food market place in Northern Ireland (NI). This variety of FoPL and lack of specific regulation has led to claims of consumer confusion and low usage. The need to clarify food nutrition composition to consumers comes at a time when a growing number of people are classified as overweight or obese. This is due to changing lifestyles and food choice behaviour which has influenced a general increase in the levels of food consumption in Nllike many other modern societies. Consequently, this is having an adverse impact on the demand for public health services .. A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) survey which is a stated preference method, is employed in this research. A specially designed DCE survey was developed and administered to obtain the necessary data. An objective of this thesis is to establish if 'framing effects' exist in FoPL, i.e. do alternative combinations of interpretive elements in FoPL elicit different food nutrition preferences? A further objective is to investigate the extent to which nutritional attributes on FoPL are ignored and if alternative FoPL result in more being considered. In the DeE literature this issue is frequently referred to as attribute non attendance (ANA). Herein a practical approach is taken to ANA and applied to a real life situation. Another objective is to contribute to the DeE methodology literature though showcasing an array of specifically chosen DeE models and techniques. The results will be used for policy appraisal and to inform development of the most effective FoPL.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:669653 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Brown, Hannah |
| Publisher | Queen's University Belfast |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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