Effects of “High-in” nutritional warning scheme on consumer product perception after a short period of implementation in Brazil

Nutritional warnings have gained popularity in Latin America and are designed to encourage healthier food choices. The study aimed to assess the impact of the “High-in” nutritional warning scheme – prior to its full implementation in Brazil - on the consumers' ability to understand the nutritional information, as well as their awareness, and self-reported use. 1033 Brazilian adults were recruited by a agency and assigned to one of two experimental conditions: products without “High-in” scheme (n = 521) and with (n = 512) “High-in” scheme. Three different product categories (grape nectar, toast, and sponge cake) were evaluated. For each category, participants assessed a series of three products and were asked to identify the healthiest option based on critical nutrient content, as defined by ANVISA. Additionally, participants' ability to recognize excessive nutrients across seven product categories was examined, along with their awareness of the policy and self-reported use of “High-in” in the group exposed to the “High-in” scheme. While most participants viewed the “High-in” scheme as a good idea, actual reported use was still very low. No significant differences were observed in participants' ability to interpret the nutritional information between the two experimental conditions. Presence of the “High-in” scheme and health concerns were cited as primary reasons for changing purchase decision among those exposed to black magnifier. These findings highlight the need for target communication campaigns that emphasize health concerns and assess whether such efforts can enhance the effectiveness of the “High-in” scheme by integrating it more meaningfully into consumer's decision-making process.