Are calorie labels on menus worth it? New eye-tracking study reveals hidden patterns

By Georgie Gould

Calorie labels on menus are meant to help people make healthier choices when eating out. However, calorie information only influences people who are already actively trying to lose weight, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. For everyone else, the labels make little difference to what they choose.

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Eye-tracking shows our gaze is drawn to the numbers even when we believe we have not seen them, yet we continue to choose based on desire rather than caloric restraint.

The study, published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management, invited 36 diners into a controlled lab setting and asked them to choose meals from a typical UK pub menu. In the first session, the menu did not show calorie information. In the second session, the same menu displayed calorie counts. Throughout the task, specialist eye-tracking software recorded exactly where participants’ eyes moved and what information they focused on. Short interviews afterwards helped researchers understand the reasons behind each choice.

The eye-tracking revealed that nearly half of participants did not think they had seen the calorie labels. Yet many of them had briefly looked directly at the numbers without realising. Diners continued to choose dishes based on enjoyment, familiarity, dietary restrictions (avoiding particular ingredients) and the social nature of eating out.

People often assume that if they did not notice calorie labels, then the labels played no part at all. What we found is more subtle. Our eyes register the information, but that does not mean we act on it. When we are eating with others, what feels enjoyable and normal takes priority. Food is emotional. It is social.

While this was a small study, the results suggest that simply placing calorie labels on menus is not enough to change behaviour for most diners. Policy makers and consumers should recognise that food choices are driven far more by habit, taste, social context and personal goals than by nutritional information alone. If we want to encourage healthier eating, we need approaches that address those deeper motivations, not just the numbers on the page. Dr Pablo Pereira Doel, co-author of the study and Human Insight Lab co-director

The study found that although there was a small drop in the average calories ordered when labels were present, the reduction was not significant. The findings suggest that calorie labelling alone may not shift behaviour in restaurants where eating is seen as a treat or an event and may thus impose unwarranted stress on mid-priced restaurants. Places where people eat regularly, such as workplace canteens, may show different results.

The team also note that calorie labels can be experienced differently by people with eating disorders, triggering anxiety, and that this is an important consideration for hospitality providers and those developing strategies to reduce calorie intakes when eating out.

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