Defaults harmonize our food choices – a systematic data review of default effects across socio-demographic groups

Food policy often struggles to reach diverse population groups, and well-intentioned interventions can sometimes exacerbate inequalities along socio-demographic groups. This systematic data review examines whether default nudges in food choices have consistent effects across different socio-demographic groups, or whether their impact varies depending on factors such as education level, age, and gender. After selecting eligible studies, authors from 12 studies shared their primary data and were subsequently included in the Default Nudge Research & Data Sharing Consortium (Table A2). These primary data enabled us to analyze 40 interaction effects examining whether age, gender, and education moderate the effectiveness of defaults relative to active choice conditions. Results show no consistent and rarely any interaction effects, suggesting defaults influence food decisions similarly across socio-demographic groups. A possible exception is that harmful defaults may be more effective among less educated individuals. These findings highlight default nudges as a broadly equitable behavioral tool in food policy design.