Takeaway food: taste matters more than calories

What drives us to choose one dish over another when we order takeout online? According to a survey conducted in England, the results of which were published in the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health , the determining factors are taste and price, while only a minority of participants considered the calorie content of the various options.

Calorie labels for more informed choices

To understand the study, a preliminary remark is needed: from April 2022, new regulations came into force in England requiring businesses with more than 250 employees, including bars, restaurants, and takeaways, to provide calorie information on non-prepackaged foods and non-alcoholic drinks.

"Calorie information will need to be displayed on menus, online menus, third-party apps, food delivery platforms, and on food labels when customers choose their food and drink. In addition to listing the calories in each food item, menus and labels will also need to include the recommended daily calorie intake," reads the related statement , published on the UK government website. "The legislation, which is part of the government's strategy to combat obesity, aims to ensure people can make more informed and healthy choices when eating out or ordering takeaway food." But is it a working strategy?

The study: what drives customer choices

To answer this question, the authors of the new research analyzed the responses of approximately one thousand adults to a survey designed to assess their knowledge of current legislation and to analyze the main factors that influence their food choices.

The survey included questions about how often each participant orders takeout meals, their knowledge of labeling laws, and the need to report calorie content. Some questions then asked participants to rank the factors that most influence their final choice, such as taste, price, preparation time, and delivery, as well as environmental impact, portion size, and whether the food is healthier or less healthy.

More than half of the participants were between the ages of 35 and 55, and approximately two-thirds (68%) were women. More than half of the respondents were overweight (28%) or obese (35%), based on their self-reported height and weight.

Few people pay attention to calories

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents were aware of the UK law requiring calorie information on food labels. However, most (77%) did not notice calorie information during their last online takeaway purchase. Among those who did notice it (the remaining 23%), nearly three-quarters (71%) said the information did not influence their food order choices. The 26% of respondents who noticed calorie labels said they had ordered lower-calorie foods. In terms of consumption, young people and obese people were approximately twice as likely to order food online at least once a week.

Calories on the label alone are not enough

What drives customers' choices? Generally speaking, taste, followed by price, delivery time, and portion size. All of this, the authors conclude, suggests that calorie counts alone aren't enough to guide people's choices: "It's essential to continually strive to understand the motivations and factors that determine takeaway food choices, in order to inform labeling policies."