Nudging for impact: Beyond the immediate effectiveness of nudge interventions promoting healthy food intake

Summary

Nudges are small alterations to the environment that predictably steer behaviour into a particular direction. Consider, for example, placing healthy products at eye level in the supermarket. Despite its enormous popularity, little research has examined the extent to which nudges can have a lasting impact on eating behaviour. In this dissertation, we show, through the use of a case study and multiple experiments, that nudges can repeatedly affect behaviour, even when the nudge is no longer present. However, nudges’ effectiveness greatly depends on the type of nudge, the targeted behaviour and the context in which it is used. This knowledge provides insight into how nudges, in addition to other policy measures, can be used to alter unhealthy eating patterns and associated health problems.