UK consumers zero in on taste and price over calories for takeout food

UK consumers ordering takeout online are more focused on food’s taste and price, rather than calories, according to a new survey. Respondents indicated these preferences despite calorie labeling offered to help them make healthier food choices.

Most often, this sentiment resonated among younger people and those living with obesity. The researchers also note that the “limited impact” of calorie labeling suggests that additional strategies are needed, despite consumers’ relatively high awareness around this.

Among experts reacting to findings, Amelia Lake, professor of public health nutrition at Teesside University, UK, comments: “This analysis is helpful as it illustrates how unlikely people are to check calorie labeling but may find a traffic light system more useful.”

Factors driving purchases

The researchers stress that frequent consumption of takeout meals — usually lower in nutritional content than home-cooked foods — leads to a less healthy diet and higher energy intake overall.

They set out to determine what factors could be driving these purchases and to understand how interventions, such as calorie labeling — mandated in England in 2022 for food businesses with more than 250 employees — can help to promote healthier food choices.

The study facilitators examined the responses from a consumer behavior panel of 1,040 adult takeaway consumers in England. The survey assessed participants’ knowledge and awareness of the national calorie labeling legislation and the top factors driving their food choices.

Respondents tended to overestimate the recommended calorie content of a meal. The average estimate was 747 kcal — about 25% higher than the recommended 600 kcal — which just 15% correctly identified. Women were twice as likely to identify the correct calorie content of a meal or give lower estimates than men.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents knew about the calorie labeling legislation. However, this was more likely among the highest socioeconomic group. Most (77%) did not notice any calorie information during their most recent online food delivery purchase.

Taste was the most important value for takeaways, followed by price, delivery time, and portion size.

Among those who did, nearly three-quarters (71%) said it did not affect their food choices. Almost two-thirds (63%) reported no impact on their drink choices; 2–3% reported ordering higher-calorie food and beverages.

Taste was the most important value for takeaways, followed by price, delivery time, and portion size.

“The results are not surprising either given that people often order takeaways as a treat, where they are less likely to want to focus on the number of calories in their order,” comments Amanda Daley, professor of behavioral medicine and an National Institute for Health and Care Research professor in public health, Loughborough University, UK.

“We have known for some time that calorie labeling alone has only a small impact on the decisions people make about what food to purchase.”

Consumers favor traffic light labels

Healthiness was a more important consideration for home-cooked meals, with more than half (56%) of the respondents scoring this as “very important” compared to 22% for takeout food. Women were 51% more likely than men to consider healthiness “very important” for takeout, while those aged 65 or older were four times as likely to do so.

Around half of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that traffic light labels and healthy alternatives would encourage more nutritious choices. With that in mind, around a third (30%) backed higher prices, exercise-based calorie labels, and smaller portions.

Low carbon footprint was the least relevant purchase driver for both meal types.

Around two-thirds (68%) of respondents were women; over half were aged between 35 and 55. More than half were overweight (35%) or living with obesity (28%).

Takeout frequency

Around one in four (27%) respondents reported ordering a takeaway at least weekly. Moreover, 41% ordered takeout online every two to four weeks, while around a third (32%) ordered less than once a month.

The survey revealed that those under 35 were more than twice as likely to order them at least weekly as older age groups. Those with obesity were also twice as likely to order weekly takeout, compared to those of healthy weight or who were underweight.

The researchers note that this was an observational study, which does not establish cause. They acknowledge that consumers under 35 and men were underrepresented, while the number of those reporting behavior changes prompted by calorie labeling was too few to be considered statistically representative.

“While calorie labeling may affect only a minority, it can be part of a broader strategy to address obesity and poor diets. However, its potential to improve diets without exacerbating existing health inequities remains uncertain,” they conclude.

In other recent foodservice consumer analysis, researchers found that a simple menu reshuffle — grouping unhealthy and less sustainable meals on one day in a canteen menu — effectively cuts diners’ weekly food carbon footprint by a third while significantly lowering their saturated fat intake.