Date of Graduation

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness

Advisor/Mentor

McFadden, Brandon

Committee Member

Kemper, Nathan

Second Committee Member

Gao, Shijun

Keywords

FDA; Consumer; Nutrition; Front-of-Package Labeling (FOPL)

Abstract

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a front-of-package nutrition labeling (FOPL) rule in early 2025 to help consumers more quickly and easily compare the nutritional quality of packaged foods (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2025). FOPL is gaining attention as a way to encourage healthier eating habits and consumer choices, but there is still debate over which label format works best. The objective of this study was to examine consumer perceptions, understanding, and trust of FDA FOPL, and to determine how these labels impact purchasing behavior and nutritional decision-making. Data were collected via an online Qualtrics survey distributed by Prolific. U.S. adult respondents, identified as the primary grocery shoppers in their household, were randomly assigned to view either a black-and-white or a color-coded FOPL. A best-worst scaling choice experiment was used to examine consumers’ perceptions of the most and least healthy label profiles across different levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Respondents completed questions measuring the accuracy of their decision-making, as well as their nutrition knowledge, followed by questions on chronic disease status and demographics. Binary logit models and standardized best-worst scores were used to evaluate consumers’ ability to interpret the labels and identify factors associated with correct responses. Overall, respondents were generally able to identify which products were more healthy and less healthy under both label formats. However, the color-coded labels increased respondents’ accuracy. This study will help inform FDA labeling policies and offer information on behavioral and economic research on nutrition labeling. Overall, the results suggest that the updated FOPL policy can help consumers evaluate packaged foods and make better food choices.

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