Nudging healthy restaurant selection in an online food delivery platform: The effect of availability and priming

Abstract

The nudge theory has gained much attention in academia; however, little is known about the effects of nudges on online food service environments. Hence, the study tests the effect of availability and priming nudges on consumers’ selection of healthy restaurants in a food delivery platform. A 2 x 2 between-subjects factorial design was utilized, with health prime (presence vs. absence) and restaurant availability (high vs. low) as factors. About 264 university undergraduate students participated study and were randomly allocated to the experimental conditions. Inferential statistics and binary logistic regression were used in data analysis. The results confirm the effect of restaurant availability and oppose health primes’ effect. A healthy restaurant is likely chosen when the choice environment has more healthy options to choose from. Health primes may spark health awareness among consumers; however, to cause a behavioral change, robust priming elements are required to cancel familiarity and self-licensing biases. A potential adaptation or modification of offline nudges is imperative to remain effectual. We offer practical implications for food delivery platform providers and policymakers in addressing health concerns around online food delivery services.