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Table 3 Intervention components

From: Protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial of an intervention to increase the use of traffic light food labelling in UK shoppers (the FLICC trial)

Behaviour change techniques

Behavioural mechanisms impacted

Intervention components

Provide information on consequences of behaviour to the individual

Mechanisms affecting belief formation/Cognitive mechanisms

The risks of eating a diet high in fat, saturated fat, salt sugar and the prominence of these nutrients in ready meals are pizzas are reported (passive)a.

Attentions bias

Personalised feedback on the traffic light profile of the 6 months of ready meals and pizzas purchased by the participant in − T1 study period are delivered. Participants will be presented with an infographic summarising the 6 months of data and will be able to interrogate the previous data in simple tables, with comparisons made to other available products (interactive).

Optimistic bias

Provide instruction (how to perform the behaviour)

Mechanisms of intention formation

Information about the traffic light label profile of a selection of the ready meals and pizzas that are available from the participating supermarket will be provided in tabular form that the participant can interrogate, designed to highlight the potential for nutritional improvement within the ready meals and pizzas categories (interactive).

Outcome expectancies

(Action) self-efficacy

Perceived behavioural control

Heuristics

Goal setting

Planning and goal setting

The following outcome goal is provided: ‘Use traffic light labels when you are shopping in (participating supermarket) for ready meals and pizzas. Compare the traffic light labels between products and try to buy healthier ready meals and pizzas than you would normally. You can do this by: reducing the number of red lights on the label and increasing the number of green lights on the label’ (passive).

Modelling the behaviour

Mechanisms of intention formation

A short video showing individuals performing the behaviour in a real store will be provided (passive).

Outcome expectancies

(Action) self-efficacy

Perceived behavioural control

Prompt practice

Mechanisms of intention formation

An experiential task will be provided which allows participants to increase their self-efficacy in using traffic light food labels. This will consist of multiple choice tests asking participants to choose healthier versions of ready meals or pizzas with and without traffic light information provided. The intention is to demonstrate that the traffic light information can make these decisions easier to make (interactive).

(Action) self-efficacy

Perceived behavioural control

Action planning

Planning and goal setting

Participants will be encouraged to plan when and where they will perform the desired behaviour via the development of intention statement(s) which will be entered into the web application by the participant (interactive).

Provide feedback on performance

Adopting and maintaining behaviour

Participant is provided with data on performance against the desired behavioural goal at the end of the trial period. This will be in the form of the infographic used in the ‘personalised feedback’ section, and will be provided with a comparison against the 6 months of shopping conducted in T -1. Participants will be informed in T1 that this feedback will arrive (passive).

  1. aThis element will be provided to participants in both the intervention and the control arm