ABSTRACT
There is a growing appreciation for the importance of choice architecture in driving positive change in food choice. In this chapter, we introduce the concept of choice architecture and its relevance to how we choose foods to eat. We outline key terminology associated with nudging food choice and highlight examples of nudge strategies such as placing food at eye level, enhancing its description, changing the order of options on a menu and changing the default standard option. To illustrate the place of choice architecture in changing food choice, we present three case studies of interventions incorporating nudge strategies. Our first case study employed a number of changes to the food choice architecture to shift adolescents’ food choice towards plant-based foods within a secondary school setting. In the second case study, we consider a city-based government scheme that looked to promote the selection of vegetables in restaurants, pubs and cafes. Our final case study set in a hospital workplace cafeteria, entailed a longitudinal cohort study that tracked employees’ purchases for more than 2 years. Crucially, we also discuss the relevance of building sustainable partnerships with stakeholders, in order to implement nudge-based interventions. Finally, we look to the future and outline what we see as the most relevant areas of development in this field.
