Nudge Experiment: Topic 1: Tackling the Obesity Challenge Disclaimer: all photos used are for educational purposes only, no rights to pictures claimed.

1. Reducing the Carbon Footprint
with smart food choices: Nudge
Experiment
Food accounts for 20% of global greenhouse gas
emissions and 92% of the global water footprint is
related to agriculture.

2. The Nudge experiment will be carried out in five
Branches of the Mandarin restaurant which are
located in and around Toronto, Canada. The
Mandarin restaurant has an All-Day-Buffet
Menu.

3. The fact that roughly one-third of all food is lost or
wasted has received less attention. It therefore
appears that food waste is a substantial, but largely
neglected contributor to environmental change.

5. Choice architecture can be used to alter
people’s behaviour in predictable ways.
From obesity and nutritional research we
know that ‘‘the eating situation often
(but not always) provides clues allowing
us to infer how much we can eat without
eating an inappropriately large amount’’.
These clues form a part of the choice
architecture, and can be used to alter
behaviour.

7. Two simple and non-intrusive ‘nudges’ – reducing plate size and
providing social cues – are tested, aimed towards reducing the amount
of food waste in restaurants. These measures aim to reduce the
amount of food that restaurants need to purchase, and there would be
no change in guest satisfaction, making it likely that profits will
increase. These measures could thus constitute potential win–win
opportunities.

8. Design
Field experiment; observational study
5 branches of Mandarin Restaurant, located in and around Toronto
Canada. group
Control
Plate size group
Salient sign group
Natural differences Changed from 24
in plate size: 15to 21 cm
28cm
Welcome back!
Again! And again!
Visit our buffet
many times. That´s
better than taking
a lot once.
2 restaurants
3 restaurants
3 restaurants
Observation for 3 months in total
Pre-and post-treatment measurement of waste

9. Two no-regrets measures have been identified and quantified, that can substantially
reduce the amount of food waste from restaurants. The findings, at least for the
effect of reduced plate size, are likely to be transferable to other contexts such as
food services at institutions (schools, hospitals, retirement homes, prisons, workplace
canteens, etc.) where buffet meals are served.

10. Welcome back! Again!
And again! Visit our buffet
many times. That´s better
than taking a lot once.

11. Therefore making healthy choices is
now up to you! THANK YOU!!!