IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jcopol/v48y2025i1d10.1007_s10603-024-09578-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Providing Nutrition Information on US Restaurant Menus: A Systematic Review Since the Affordable Care Act (2010)

Author

Listed:
  • R. Abbas

    (University of Wollongong in Dubai)

  • C. D. Hatch

    (Lacy School of Business, Butler University)

Abstract

One noteworthy provision in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 in the USA was the mandate for restaurants with more than 20 locations to provide nutrition information on their printed restaurant menus and menu boards. This provision has received a wide variety of scrutiny in the literature and in popular press. This systematic review attempts to summarize the current state of research exploring the consumer behavior effects of providing nutrition information, identify gaps in the literature, and suggest future areas for research into the provision of such nutrition information. PRISMA guidelines were followed, and study quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project’s (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool. Due to stringent inclusion criteria, focusing on research from ACA 2010 onwards in the USA, published in English, and assessed using EPHPP for high quality, 24 papers were ultimately included. The studies included dependent variables such as the calories or nutritional values of the meal choices made following menu exposure, the perceptions of the restaurant, the sales of the menu items, and evaluations or perceptions of the menu itself. The final discussion in this paper identifies a multitude of gaps in the current literature and avenues for further research into the effects of providing nutrition information on different socio-demographic segments, in different food and restaurant categories, in different health contexts and individual health situations, and groups with pre-existing eating disorders.

Suggested Citation

  • R. Abbas & C. D. Hatch, 2025. "Providing Nutrition Information on US Restaurant Menus: A Systematic Review Since the Affordable Care Act (2010)," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jcopol:v:48:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10603-024-09578-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10603-024-09578-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10603-024-09578-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10603-024-09578-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John Hulland & Mark B. Houston, 2020. "Why systematic review papers and meta-analyses matter: an introduction to the special issue on generalizations in marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 351-359, May.
    2. J. M. Bauer & L. A. Reisch, 2019. "Behavioural Insights and (Un)healthy Dietary Choices: a Review of Current Evidence," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 3-45, March.
    3. John Cawley & Alex Susskind & Barton Willage, 2020. "The Impact of Information Disclosure on Consumer Behavior: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment of Calorie Labels on Restaurant Menus," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(4), pages 1020-1042, September.
    4. Roberto, C.A. & Larsen, P.D. & Agnew, H. & Baik, J. & Brownell, K.D., 2010. "Evaluating the impact of menu labeling on food choices and intake," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(2), pages 312-318.
    5. Sisnowski, Jana & Handsley, Elizabeth & Street, Jackie M., 2015. "Regulatory approaches to obesity prevention: A systematic overview of current laws addressing diet-related risk factors in the European Union and the United States," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(6), pages 720-731.
    6. Bryan Bollinger & Phillip Leslie & Alan Sorensen, 2011. "Calorie Posting in Chain Restaurants," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 3(1), pages 91-128, February.
    7. Paul, Justin & Criado, Alex Rialp, 2020. "The art of writing literature review: What do we know and what do we need to know?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    8. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
    9. Long, M.W. & Tobias, D.K. & Cradock, A.L. & Batchelder, H. & Gortmaker, S.L., 2015. "Systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of restaurant menu calorie labeling," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(5), pages 11-24.
    10. E. Beacom & C. McLaughlin & S. Furey, 2024. "Household Food Consumption Typologies: Examining Population Adherence to Healthy Eating Guidelines for Evidence-Informed Policy Making," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 297-315, June.
    11. Jessica Aschemann-Witzel & Tino Bech-Larsen & Sara Capacci, 2016. "Do Target Groups Appreciate Being Targeted? An Exploration of Healthy Eating Policy Acceptance," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 285-306, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Romain Cadario & Pierre Chandon, 2020. "Which Healthy Eating Nudges Work Best? A Meta-Analysis of Field Experiments," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(3), pages 465-486, May.
    2. Osrof, Hazem Yusuf & Tan, Cheng Ling & Angappa, Gunasekaran & Yeo, Sook Fern & Tan, Kim Hua, 2023. "Adoption of smart farming technologies in field operations: A systematic review and future research agenda," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    3. Hosany, A. R. Shaheen & Hosany, Sameer & He, Hongwei, 2022. "Children sustainable behaviour: A review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 236-257.
    4. Jessica E. Todd & Lisa Mancino & Brandon J. Restrepo & Claudine Kavanaugh & Chris Dicken & Vince Breneman, 2021. "Food Away From Home And Caloric Intake: The Role Of Restaurant Menu Labeling Laws," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(1), pages 53-71, January.
    5. Lim, Weng Marc & Yap, Sheau-Fen & Makkar, Marian, 2021. "Home sharing in marketing and tourism at a tipping point: What do we know, how do we know, and where should we be heading?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 534-566.
    6. Tunmin Catherine Jai & Xiao Tong & Hsiangting Shatina Chen, 2022. "Building brand loyalty on social media: theories, measurements, antecedents, and consequences," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(1), pages 35-57, January.
    7. Rodrigo Aranda & Michael Darden & Donald Rose, 2021. "Measuring the impact of calorie labeling: The mechanisms behind changes in obesity," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(11), pages 2858-2878, November.
    8. Brandon J. Restrepo, 2017. "Calorie Labeling in Chain Restaurants and Body Weight: Evidence from New York," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(10), pages 1191-1209, October.
    9. Saksena, Michelle J. & Okrent, Abigail M. & Anekwe, Tobenna D. & Cho, Clare & Dicken, Christopher & Effland, Anne & Elitzak, Howard & Guthrie, Joanne & Hamrick, Karen S. & Hyman, Jeffrey & Jo, Young &, 2018. "America’s Eating Habits:Food Away From Home," Economic Information Bulletin 281119, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    10. Schruff-Lim, Eva-Maria & Van Loo, Ellen J. & van Kleef, Ellen & van Trijp, Hans C.M., 2023. "Turning FOP nutrition labels into action: A systematic review of label+ interventions," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    11. Huseynov, Samir & Palma, Marco A. & Ahmad, Ghufran, 2021. "Does the magnitude of relative calorie distance affect food consumption?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 530-551.
    12. Kee, Jennifer Y. & Segovia, Michelle S. & Palma, Marco A., 2023. "Slim or Plus-Size Burrito? A natural experiment of consumers’ restaurant choice," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    13. Mandler, Timo & Sezen, Burcu & Chen, Jieke & Özsomer, Ayşegül, 2021. "Performance consequences of marketing standardization/adaptation: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 416-435.
    14. Pierre Dubois & Paulo Albuquerque & Olivier Allais & Céline Bonnet & Patrice Bertail & Pierre Combris & Saadi Lahlou & Natalie Rigal & Bernard Ruffieux & Pierre Chandon, 2021. "Effects of front-of-pack labels on the nutritional quality of supermarket food purchases: evidence from a large-scale randomized controlled trial," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 119-138, January.
    15. Secinaro, Silvana & Calandra, Davide & Lanzalonga, Federico & Ferraris, Alberto, 2022. "Electric vehicles’ consumer behaviours: Mapping the field and providing a research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 399-416.
    16. Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih & Ahmed Sh. Abdelaziz, 2022. "The Impact of Nutrition Labelling on Customer Buying Intention and Behaviours in Fast Food Operations: Some Implications for Public Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-15, June.
    17. David Moroz, 2024. "What does terroir mean? A science mapping of a multidimensional concept," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(3), pages 889-913, September.
    18. Lim, Weng Marc & Rasul, Tareq, 2022. "Customer engagement and social media: Revisiting the past to inform the future," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 325-342.
    19. Appiah, Emmanuel Kusi & Gabrielsson, Peter & Rialp Criado, Alex, 2025. "The role of digitalization in early internationalization Research: A systematic literature review and future research directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    20. Santana, Shelle & Thomas, Manoj & Morwitz, Vicki G., 2020. "The Role of Numbers in the Customer Journey," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 138-154.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jcopol:v:48:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10603-024-09578-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.