Effects of front-of-pack environmental labels on consumer understanding and food choices

Introduction

Front‑of‑pack environmental labels (FoPELs) may support sustainable food choices, yet comparative evidence on the effectiveness of various FoPEL types remains limited. This study evaluated the effectiveness of five FoPELs in improving consumers’ objective understanding and food choice.

Methods

An online randomised choice experiment was conducted among 2,007 Australian adults. Participants completed choice and ranking tasks for three food categories (snack bars, soups, burger patties) before and after randomisation to one of five FoPELs: Planet‑Score, Planetary Health Rating (PHR), Green‑Score, Enviroscore, or Eco‑Impact. Descriptive analyses assessed pre‑ and post‑exposure changes. Differences between FoPELs were examined using multivariable ordinal logistic regression adjusted for demographics, dietary pattern, and self‑reported sustainability knowledge.

Results

Descriptive analysis showed that all FoPELs improved participants’ objective understanding, with larger effects observed for ranking accuracy than for food choice across the food categories. In regression analyses, participants exposed to the PHR and Eco-Impact were almost twice as likely to show improved ranking accuracy for snack bars and soups (all <0.001) compared to the reference label (Green-Score). For food choice, the PHR was associated with higher odds of improvement for snack bars (p = 0.003) compared to Green-Score. Overall, the PHR performed consistently well across both outcomes.

Conclusions

FoPELs have the potential to meaningfully enhance consumers’ ability to distinguish foods by environmental sustainability, although immediate impacts on food choice were modest. Differences across FoPELs and food categories highlight the importance of label format and context in shaping consumer responses.

Key messages

• Sustainability labels improve consumers’ understanding of food sustainability, with stronger effects for understanding than on immediate shifts in food choice.

• Label effectiveness varies by design and food category, highlighting the importance of choosing appropriate formats to support sustainable food decisions.