Menu Labelling and the Savvy Diner Campaign

Canadian Public Health Association Conference May 29, 2014

Presentation by: Lisa Swimmer, MHsc, RDLswimme@toronto.ca

What is Menu Labelling?

• Menu labelling applies principles of food labelling to the eating out environment.

• Menu labelling makes clear and standardized information about the nutrient content of food available at the point of purchase in restaurants and other foodservice establishments.

Calls for Regulatory Action on Menu Labelling

2007 2009

2012 20132010 2012

2009-2012

2009

Ontario’s Healthy Kids Panel: Change the Food Environment

Recommendation 2.3

“Require all restaurants, including fast food outlets and retail grocery stores, to list the calories in each item on their menus and to make this information visible on menu boards.”

Provincial Progress on Menu Labelling

“Parents have told us they want our support in keeping their kids healthy. We are committed to giving parents and their kids the information they need to make healthy choices. “ – Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews

Toronto Public Health’s Interest in Menu Labelling

Toronto Food Strategy Report Recommends Local Action

2010

A FOOD STRATEGY for TORONTO: EMPOWER RESIDENTS WITH FOOD SKILLS AND INFORMATION “Require Nutrition Information on Restaurant Menus…The Medical Officer of Health will report to the Board of Health on a City bylaw requiring selected nutrition information to be posted on the menus of chain restaurants in Toronto.”

Rationale to Take Local Action

Building an Evidence-Based Rationale for Local Action on Menu Labelling

• High rates of obesity, chronic diseases

• High frequency of eating out• Calorie and sodium levels are high in

restaurant foods• Levels of calories and sodium vary widely within the same food category

• Consumers can’t estimate nutrient content

• Consumers want nutrition information and have a right to know• May lead to healthier menu items

• May lead to healthier choices

Pushing for Provincial Action, Ready for Local Action

2013

Engaging the Public

Purpose: Support potential menu labelling policy by highlighting consumers' right and need to know when it comes to calories and sodium.

Target audience: Educated, mid to high income 18-34 year old adults who go to restaurants regularly.

Several Concepts Considered

A traditional campaign, no specific campaign website, no social media

Several Concepts Considered

A traditional campaign with unique branding/URL that could link to existing website, no social media

Several Concepts Considered

A social media campaign with a dedicated Facebook page and a sharable video

The Preferred Concept

Public engagement approach, use of social media, unique branding/URL, unique website (blog), dedicated Facebook page

The Savvy Diner Campaign

Launched June 17, 2013

• Transit and bus shelter posters • Mall posters• Online ads• Savvy Diner website with:

• quiz• click to show your support• shareable badges• blog• add your voice• video

• Facebook page

Savvy Diner Videos

http://youtu.be/spHdiLAO4yk http://youtu.be/GCppcoHwQ5Y

The Savvy Diner Website (Blog) and Facebook Page

14,000+ supporters

2650 Likes

Savvy Diner “Add Your Voice”

500 submissions received

Interesting Ways to Engage the Public and Build Public Support

The average Canadian sit-down restaurant meal has:

• More than half of the calories needed per day

• One and a half times (151%) the amount of sodium needed per day

• Includes an appetizer and main. Dessert adds 549 more calories.

• Meals identified by the restaurants as being “healthy” were low in calories but still had half the amount of sodium needed per day

Scourboutakos, MJ, Semnani-Azad, Z & L’Abbe, MR. JAMA Internal Medicine, May 2013.

Here’s What the Research Says…

Here’s what will gain the public’s attention

1730 calories2750 mg of sodium

+

210 calories370 mg of sodium

How much calories and sodium would I get?

Caesar Salad (side order) Spaghetti & Meatballs

Total: 1940 calories and 3120 mg of sodium

…and this large difference between similar menu items

No two chicken wraps are created equal

VS

Restaurant Chain #1 700 calories970 mg sodium 

Restaurant Chain #21370 calories

2960 mg sodium

Using social media to get the message across in an interesting way

Using social media to get the message across in an interesting way

Evaluation Objectives

Evaluate (unaided and aided) the campaign’s reach and recall

Explore the campaign’s likeability, message comprehension, and relevance

Understand the campaign’s effectiveness for sparking thought on the issue

Establish interest levels on the menu labelling issue before and after exposure to the campaign

Evaluate the motivational power of the campaign to change residents’ attitudes

Methodology Summary

• An online survey was designed and fielded to Toronto residents aged 18-34, who regularly eat at/order from restaurants

• The survey was fielded immediately following the media campaign

• A total of n=1010 respondents completed the survey

Survey Sample Breakdown

N= N=

Total 1010 Those

Who Viewed Ads Previous To The Survey

345

Males 468

Females 542Those Who Viewed Ads Within The Survey

665

18-24 years

344

25-34 years

666

Socio- Demographic Profile of Respondents

46%54%

Respondent Gender Breakdown

Male

Female

25-34

18-24

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

66%

34%

Respondent Age Breakdown

Socio- Demographic Profile of Respondents

I'd Rather Not Say

Some High School

Some Post-High School Education

University Degree

0% 20% 40%1%0%1%

11%13%

22%40%

12%

Highest Level of Education

• 87% have obtained at least some post-secondary education

• 78% indicate they work outside the home either full or part-time

27%

51%

5%8% 7% 1% 1%

Respondent Employment Status I am working part-

time outside the homeI am working full-time outside the homeI am working inside the homeI am not workingI am unemployed/Looking for workOtherI'd rather not say

Socio- Demographic Profile of Respondents

11% 18%

21%

16%

12%

13% 9%

Reported Household Income

Less than $20,000$20,000 to $39,999$40,000 to $59,999$60,000 to $79,999$80,000 to $99,999$100,000 I'd rather not say

• Household income levels are split between those who report $59,999 or LESS (50%) and those who report $60,000 or MORE (50%).

Savvy Diner Evaluation Highlights

• Overall, positive evaluation results:o Reach, Recall, Likability, Relevance, Message

Comprehension, Issue Perception

• Those who noticed the campaign prior to taking the survey had higher scores across the board, particularly for ‘Likability’, and ‘Relevance’

• The ads and website were effective in changing perceptions about menu labelling

• 72% of people who saw the ads took action

• 66% were supportive of menu labelling; only 3% were not at all supportive of menu labelling

Comprehension of campaign key messages

Don't Know

Food

Need Public Support

Menu Labelling/Right To Know/Be Aware

11%7%

2%3%3%6%

68%

Main Message: “Comprehension” “It is necessary to have

restaurants label the sodium and calories in their meals so that consumers can make informed choices about the food they eat.”Online survey respondent

“I think that the purpose of this campaign is to encourage restaurants to put nutritional facts in their menus in order to enable potential consumers to understand what they will be taking into their system.” Online survey respondent

• Comprehension of the campaign’s intended message was high with 82% of respondents describing some portion of the issue.

Main Message Word Cloud

“In your own words, what do you think the intended message of this campaign is…describe in detail.”

Savvy Diner Ads: Likability

Indulg

e

Hambu

rger

Sodiu

m0%

50%

100%

0% 1% 1%2% 1% 2%

21% 23% 20%

44% 40% 44%

33% 35% 33%

“Likability” From Those Who Viewed Ads Previ-

ous To The SurveyI really like it

I like it

I neither like nor dis-like it

I dislike it

I really dis-like it

Indulg

e

Hambu

rger

Sodiu

m0%

50%

100%

3% 2% 2%9%

7% 6%42% 29% 33%

35% 39% 38%11% 23% 21%

“Likability” From Those Who Viewed

Ads Within The Survey

• Campaign ads were well-liked by majority of survey respondents, particularly those who had viewed the ads previous to completing the survey (78% liked them or really liked them).

Savvy Diner Ads: Relevance

Indulg

e

Hambu

rger

Sodiu

m0%

50%

100%

2%4% 4%8%

4% 5%26% 26% 24%

39% 36% 40%

25% 30% 27%

“Relevance” Of Ads To Those Who Viewed Pre-

vious To The Survey

Strongly AgreeAgreeNeutralDisagreeStrongly Disagree

Indulg

e

Hambu

rger

Sodiu

m0%

50%

100%

7% 6% 6%12% 8% 8%

39% 33% 33%

30% 34% 35%12% 19% 18%

“Relevance Of Ads To Those Who

Viewed Within The Survey

• A higher level of relevance is seen across all ads from those who saw the campaign prior to taking the survey (66%) compared to those who only viewed within the survey; however low level of “disagreement” seen from all respondents.

Savvy Diner website (www.SavvyDiner.ca)

0%

50%

100%

0%2%11%

46%

41%

Those Who Visited Site Previous To Survey: “Lik-

ability”

I really dislike it I dislike itI neither like nor dislike it I like itI really like it

0%

50%

100%

1%5%21%

45%

28%

Those Who Visited The Site Previous To Taking

The Survey: “Relevance”

Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeutral AgreeStrongly Agree

• High levels of site “likability” and “relevance”, especially from those who have visited the site prior to the survey (87% like it and 73% find it relevant)

Campaign effective in changing perceptions on menu labelling

25%

45%

30%

Level of Interest BEFORE

Taking The Survey

I was NOT personally interested. . .

I was SOMEWHAT personally interested. . .

I was VERY personally interested. . .

9%

40%51%

Level of Interest AFTER Taking The Survey

. .

• A 21% increase is seen in “I was very personally interested” with 30% of survey respondents reporting BEFORE taking the survey and 51% AFTER taking the survey.

Issue Perception: Overall Support

Overall, how supportive are you of restau-rants including

calories and sodium informa-tion on the menu or menu board?

(N=1010)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

3%13%18%

34%

32% Extremely Supportive

Supportive

Neutral

Somewhat supportive

Not at all Supportive

• 66% of survey respondents support calorie and sodium information on the menu

• 3 % are not at all supportive

• 38% of females are extremely supportive, compared to 25% of males

Overall Observations

• Those that are shown the campaign like it, find it relevant and are largely encouraged to find out more, which suggests the creative elements are effective

• Positive attitude change is seen as a result of exposure to this campaign

• All three executions “Indulge”, “Hamburger” and “Sodium” received consistently high results, however “Hamburger” (and “Sodium” for males) found most relevant of the three

• Females are particularly ‘interested’ and find this issue particularly ‘important’

• The ads’ “call to action” to savvydiner.ca is effective and “word of mouth” on the issue is realistically achieved only AFTER site visits

What We Learned…

• Use a combination of traditional and social media

• Ensure sufficient resources (budget and staffing)

• Use an evidence-informed approach to push the boundaries

• Consider timing to take advantage of media attention on public policy issues

• Always expect the unexpected

Thank you for listening!

For further information:

Lisa Swimmer, MHSc, RDActing Supervisor, Chronic Disease and Injury PreventionLswimme@toronto.ca(416) 338-3561