Portion size: a qualitative study of consumers' attitudes toward point-of-purchase interventions aimed at portion size
Open Access
- 11 September 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Health Education Research
- Vol. 25 (1), 109-120
- https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyp051
Abstract
This qualitative study assessed consumers’ opinions of food portion sizes and their attitudes toward portion-size interventions located in various point-of-purchase settings targeting overweight and obese people. Eight semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted with 49 participants. Constructs from the diffusion of innovations theory were included in the interview guide. Each focus group was recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were coded and analyzed with Atlas.ti 5.2 using the framework approach. Results showed that many participants thought that portion sizes of various products have increased during the past decades and are larger than acceptable. The majority also indicated that value for money is important when purchasing and that large portion sizes offer more value for money than small portion sizes. Furthermore, many experienced difficulties with self-regulating the consumption of large portion sizes. Among the portion-size interventions that were discussed, participants had most positive attitudes toward a larger availability of portion sizes and pricing strategies, followed by serving-size labeling. In general, reducing package serving sizes as an intervention strategy to control food intake met resistance. The study concludes that consumers consider interventions consisting of a larger variety of available portion sizes, pricing strategies and serving-size labeling as most acceptable to implement.Keywords
This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit:
- Value for money or making the healthy choice: the impact of proportional pricing on consumers’ portion size choicesEuropean Journal of Public Health, 2009
- From the point-of-purchase perspective: A qualitative study of the feasibility of interventions aimed at portion-sizeHealth Policy, 2009
- Effects of calorie labeling and value size pricing on fast food meal choices: Results from an experimental trialInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2008
- Effect of point-of-purchase calorie labeling on restaurant and cafeteria food choices: A review of the literatureInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2008
- The Effect of Single Serving Versus Entire Package Nutritional Information on Consumption Norms and Actual Consumption of a Snack FoodJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2006
- Portion Distortion: Typical Portion Sizes Selected by Young AdultsJournal of the American Dietetic Association, 2006
- (Mis)interpretation of body weight in adult women and menJournal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 2006
- How Many Interviews Are Enough?Field Methods, 2006
- At the movies: how external cues and perceived taste impact consumption volumeFood Quality and Preference, 2001
- Dissecting Obesogenic Environments: The Development and Application of a Framework for Identifying and Prioritizing Environmental Interventions for ObesityPreventive Medicine, 1999