This public opinion research report presents the methodology used for an online survey conducted by Leger Marketing Inc. on behalf of Health Canada. The survey was conducted with 4,005 Canadians aged 16 and over between February 19 and March 11, 2024.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Compréhension, évaluation et utilisation de l'étiquetage des sucres par les Canadiens pour faire des choix alimentaires sains.
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Health Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Health Canada at hc.cpab.por-rop.dgcap.sc@canada.ca or at:
Health Canada
200 Eglantine Driveway, Tunney's Pasture
Jeanne Mance Building, AL 1915C
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
Catalogue Number:H14-622/2024E-PDF International Standard Book Number (ISBN):978-0-660-72310-5
Related publications (registration number: POR 087-23):
Catalogue Number:H14-622/2024F-PDF (Final Report, French)
ISBN:978-0-660-72311-2
Leger is pleased to present Health Canada with this public opinion research methodology report. This report was prepared by Léger Marketing Inc. who was contracted by Health Canada (contract number CW2338679, awarded November 22nd, 2023, for a total value of $94,679.31 including HST).
Background and Objectives
Excess free (dietary) sugars intakes are associated with adverse health outcomes including weight gain, type II diabetes, dental caries, and other cardio metabolic risk factors. To meet the goal of reducing dietary sugars intakes of the Canadian population, in 2016 Health Canada announced several important sugars related design and content changes to the Nutrition label. The main objectives of the sugars labelling updates are to help people living in Canada:
be aware of free sugars-based ingredients in foods and beverages,
understand and be able to evaluate the sugars content of foods and beverages, and
make informed food choice decisions to reduce sugars intakes.
As per Treasury Board requirements and the Cabinet Directive on Streamlining Regulations, Departments and Agencies are required to evaluate their regulatory programs to objectively assess the effectiveness of these programs in achieving expected results. Information gathered in this research will be used to help determine how successful the refinements to the listing of sugars-based ingredients and the addition of a %Daily Value (%DV) for sugars in the Nutrition Facts table (NFt) are in helping consumers make more informed food choices to reduce sugars intakes (e.g., choosing foods lower in sugars, replacing foods high in sugars with alternatives that are lower in sugars).
Efforts to reduce dietary sugars intake levels have been primarily limited to increasing knowledge and changing attitudes of consumers, specifically, consumer attitudes towards dietary sugars) consumer perceptions of the related risks of the dietary intake of sugars; consumers' most trusted and frequently used information sources for learning about sugars; and other sugars related nutrition-related topics. This consumer research will contribute subjective and objective foci on consumer competencies with sugars focused labelling, and how these factors influence food choices ("sugar literacy"). Specifically, does the % daily value for total sugars help consumers compare sugars content of similar and different foods and identify sugary foods that should be limited (those with a "a lot of sugars" i.e., a daily value of 15% or more). Also, do sugars-based ingredients grouped in brackets in descending order by weight after the name 'sugars' nudge consumer awareness that sugars have been added to the food. And finally does sugars ingredient grouping in the list of ingredients help consumers to Identify the types of sugars added to the food and quantify the added sugars content relative to the other ingredients in the food.
The primary objective of this research is to evaluate recent changes to the Nutrition labels designed to help Canadians limit sugars intake.
Methodology
This public opinion research was conducted via online surveys, using Computer Aided Web Interviewing (CAWI) technology. The questionnaires were provided by Health Canada. Leger Marketing Inc. used the questionnaires without making any modifications to its format nor to its content. The questionnaire was approved for use by Health Canada's Research Ethics Board and was built to include integrated voice over for each question in the survey.
Fieldwork for the survey was carried out from February 19th to March 11th, 2024. A pre-test of 71 interviews was completed before launching data collection to validate the programming of the questionnaire in both English and French. A total of 4,005 Canadians aged 16 or older with demographic characteristics reflective of the target population were surveyed. Quotas were set to ensure the sample is made up of around 60% of Canadians who have a limited or marginal health literacy and 40% of Canadians who have an adequate health literacy.
In order to determine respondents' health literacy level and to select representative demographic samples of the Canadian population from consumers at risk of marginal/limited health literacy (60% of respondents) vs adequate health literacy (40% of respondents), they were pre-screened using the Newest Vital Sign health literacy screening tool (provided by Health Canada). This 6-question, multiple choice tool including an image of the label of an ice cream container, was integrated by Léger as a web-based tool with voice over so that participants can read and listen to each question and set of corresponding multiple-choice answers before making their answer selection. Once respondents finished the pre-screening, they were given the option to continue the survey right away, or to continue at a different time.
An average of 28 minutes was required for respondents to complete the survey. The sample was drawn randomly from the Leo panel and the overall participation rate for the survey was 15.53%.
A complete methodological description is provided in the Appendices section of this document.
Notes on Interpretation of the Research Findings
This report was compiled by Leger based on the research conducted specifically for this project. This research is not probabilistic; the results cannot be inferred to the general population of Canada.
Since a sample drawn from an Internet panel is not probabilistic in nature, margins of sampling error cannot be calculated for this survey. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have volunteered to participate/registered to participate in online surveys. The results of such surveys cannot be described as statistically projectable to the target population. The data have been weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the target population.
Political Neutrality Statement and Contact Information
Leger certifies that the final deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada's political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications.
Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Signed:
Christian Bourque, Senior Researcher
Léger
Appendix 1: Quantitative Methodology
As a CRIC Member, Leger adheres to the most stringent guidelines for quantitative research. The survey was conducted in accordance with Government of Canada requirements for quantitative research, including the Standards of the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research— Series A – Fieldwork and Data Tabulation for Online Surveys.
Respondents were assured of the voluntary, confidential and anonymous nature of this research. As with all research conducted by Leger, all information that could allow for the identification of participants was removed from the data, in accordance with the Privacy Act.
Sampling Procedure
Leger conducted a panel-based Internet survey with a sample of adult Canadians, using Computer Aided Web Interviewing (CAWI) technology. A total 4,005 respondents participated in the survey. The exact distribution is presented in the following section. Participant selection was done randomly from Leo's online panel.
Leger owns and operates an Internet panel of more than 400,000 Canadians from coast to coast. An Internet panel is made up of Web users profiled on different sociodemographic variables. The majority of Leger's panel members (61%) have been recruited randomly over the phone over the past decade, making it highly similar to the actual Canadian population on many demographic characteristics.
Data Collection
Fieldwork for the survey was carried out from February 19th to March 11th, 2024. A pre-test of 71 interviews was completed before launching data collection to validate the programming of the questionnaire in both English and French. A total of 4,005 Canadians with demographic characteristics reflective of the Canadian population were surveyed. Quotas were set to ensure the sample is made up of around 60% of Canadians who have a limited or marginal health literacy and 40% of Canadians who have an adequate health literacy.
An average of 28 minutes was required for respondents to complete the survey. The sample was drawn randomly from the Leo panel and the overall participation rate for the survey was 15.53%.
Since a sample drawn from an Internet panel is not probabilistic in nature, the margin of error cannot be calculated for this survey. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have volunteered to participate/registered to participate in online surveys. The results of such surveys cannot be described as statistically projectable to the target population. The data have been weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the target population. Because the sample is based on those who initially self-selected for participation, no estimates of sampling error can be calculated.
During data collection, regional quotas were set, along quotas to target a sufficient number of individuals with a limited/marginal health literacy (about 60% of the sample) and with adequate health literacy (40% of the sample). The tables below detail the distribution of respondents by region, gender, age, education level, and presence of children in the household.
Table 1: Distribution of respondents by region
Number of respondents (unweighted)
Quebec
968
Ontario
1,552
Manitoba/Saskatchewan
252
Alberta
383
British Columbia and Territories
622
Atlantic
228
Table 2: Distribution of respondents by gender
Number of respondents (unweighted)
Man
1,913
Woman
2,064
Other
28
Table 3: Distribution of respondents by age
Number of respondents (unweighted)
16-17
37
18-34
887
35-54
1,324
55+
1,757
Table 4: Distribution of respondents by education level
Number of respondents (unweighted)
High school or less
977
College
1,133
University
1,895
Table 5: Distribution of respondents by presence of children in the household
Number of respondents (unweighted)
Yes
1,097
No
2,908
Participation Rate
The overall participation rate for this study is 15.53%.
The participation rate is calculated as the number of in-scope responding units, divided by the sum of unresolved units, in-scope non-responding units, and in-scope responding units. The detailed completion results are as follows:
Table 6: Participation rate calculation
Invalid cases
Invitations mistakenly sent to people who did not qualify for the study
-
Incomplete or missing email addresses
-
Unresolved (U)
78,874
Email invitations bounce back
77
Email invitations unanswered
78,797
In-scope non-responding units (IS)
5,949
Non-response from eligible respondents
-
Respondent refusals
861
Language problem
-
Selected respondent not available (illness; leave of absence; vacation; other)
-
Early breakoffs
5,088
Responding units (R)
15,598
Surveys disqualified – quota filled
8,933
Completed surveys disqualified for other reasons
2,660
Completed interviews
4,005
POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE (U+IS+R)
100,421
Participation rate= R/(U + IS + R)
15.53%
The typical participation rates for Web-surveys are between 20% and 30%. A response rate of 15.53% may seem a bit low but given the limited amount of time for fieldwork, invitations had to be spread more widely in the panel to achieve the objectives, which has an impact on the participation rate.
Unweighted and Weighted Samples
Based on data from Statistics Canada's 2021 national census, Leger weighted the results of this survey by gender, age, education level, and presence of children in the household within each province, in order to reflect the actual distribution of the Canadian adult population.
A basic comparison of the unweighted and weighted sample sizes was conducted to identify any potential non-response bias that could be introduced by lower participation rates among specific demographic subgroups (see tables below).
The table below presents the geographic distribution of respondents, before and after weighting. Quotas were set for each province, and the weighting adjusted for oversampling in certain provinces so that each province has a representative importance in the results.
Table 7: Unweighted and Weighted Sample Distribution by Province
Weighted
Unweighted
Quebec
889
968
Ontario
1,570
1,552
Manitoba/Saskatchewan
257
252
Alberta
455
383
British Columbia and Territories
575
622
Atlantic
259
228
The following tables present the demographic distribution of respondents, according to gender and age. Regarding gender, weighting only corrected minor imbalances. In terms of age, the weighting process slightly increased the weight of those 18-34 and reduced that of those aged 35-54 who were slightly overrepresented in the sample.
Table 8: Unweighted and Weighted Sample Distribution by Gender
Weighted
Unweighted
Man
1,910
1,913
Woman
2,052
2,064
Non-binary/Other
43
28
Table 9: Unweighted and Weighted Sample Distribution by Age Group
Weighted
Unweighted
16-17
81
37
18-34
963
887
35-54
1,232
1,324
55+
1,729
1,757
The following tables present the demographic distribution of respondents, according to education level and presence of children in the household. Regarding education level, the weight of those who have a university level education was decreased in favor of those with a college or high school or less education level, who were slightly underrepresented in the unweighted sample.
Table 10: Unweighted and Weighted Sample Distribution by Education Level
Weighted
Unweighted
High school
1,283
977
College
1,496
1,133
University
1,226
1,895
The weighting process only minorly corrected the distribution of respondents with children in the household and those without.
Table 11: Unweighted and Weighted Sample Distribution by Presence of Children in the Household
Weighted
Unweighted
Yes
1,100
1,097
No
2,905
2,908
There is no evidence from the data that having achieved a different age or gender distribution prior to weighting would have significantly changed the results of this study. The relatively small weight factors (see the section below) and differences in responses between various subgroups suggest that data quality was not affected. The weight that was applied corrected the initial imbalance for data analysis purposes, and no further manipulations were necessary.
As with all research conducted by Leger, the contact information was kept entirely confidential and all information that could allow for the identification of participants was removed from the data in accordance with Canada's Privacy Act.
Weighting factors
Certain subgroups tend to be underrepresented or overrepresented in a sample compared to the general population. The weighting of a sample makes it possible to correct for differences in the representation of the various subgroups of that sample compared to what is usually observed in the overall study population. Weighting factors are therefore the weight given to each respondent that corresponds to a subgroup of the sample.
The weighting applied corrected the original imbalance for data analysis purposes; no further manipulation was required. Based on data from Statistics Canada's 2021 national census, Leger weighted the results of the sample of this survey by gender, age, education level, and presence of children in the household within each province, in order to reflect the actual distribution of the Canadian adult population.
The following tables illustrate the proportion allocated to each target audience in the sample.
Table 12: Weight factors by region, gender and age
Label
Weight
Male - British Columbia - 16-17
0.11
Male - British Columbia - 18-24
0.63
Male - British Columbia - 25-34
1.13
Male - British Columbia - 35-44
1.12
Male - British Columbia - 45-54
1.06
Male - British Columbia - 55-64
1.19
Male - British Columbia - 65+
1.76
Female - British Columbia - 16-17
0.18
Female - British Columbia - 18-24
0.60
Female - British Columbia - 25-34
1.08
Female - British Columbia - 35-44
1.10
Female - British Columbia - 45-54
1.10
Female - British Columbia - 55-64
1.29
Female - British Columbia - 65+
2.00
Male - Alberta - 16-17
0.20
Male - Alberta - 18-24
0.49
Male - Alberta - 25-34
1.03
Male - Alberta - 35-44
0.98
Male - Alberta - 45-54
0.94
Male - Alberta - 55-64
0.96
Male - Alberta - 65+
1.05
Female - Alberta - 16-24
0.65
Female - Alberta - 25-34
0.99
Female - Alberta - 35-44
1.05
Female - Alberta - 45-54
0.85
Female - Alberta - 55-64
0.96
Female - Alberta - 65+
1.22
Male - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 16-24
0.38
Male - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 25-34
0.53
Male - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 35-44
0.47
Male - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 45-54
0.46
Male - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 55-64
0.55
Male - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 65+
0.70
Female - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 16-17
0.10
Female - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 18-24
0.29
Female - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 25-34
0.53
Female - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 35-44
0.56
Female - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 45-54
0.47
Female - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 55-64
0.53
Female - Manitoba / Saskatchewan - 65+
0.84
Male - Ontario - 16-17
0.25
Male - Ontario - 18-24
1.85
Male - Ontario - 25-34
3.27
Male - Ontario - 35-44
2.93
Male - Ontario - 45-54
2.92
Male - Ontario - 55-64
3.27
Male - Ontario - 65+
4.35
Female - Ontario - 16-17
0.46
Female - Ontario - 18-24
1.82
Female - Ontario - 25-34
3.01
Female - Ontario - 35-44
3.11
Female - Ontario - 45-54
3.17
Female - Ontario - 55-64
3.54
Female - Ontario - 65+
5.24
Male - Quebec - 16-17
0.23
Male - Quebec - 18-24
0.86
Male - Quebec - 25-34
1.57
Male - Quebec - 35-44
1.78
Male - Quebec - 45-54
1.60
Male - Quebec - 55-64
2.09
Male - Quebec - 65+
2.88
Female - Quebec - 16-17
0.24
Female - Quebec - 18-24
0.87
Female - Quebec - 25-34
1.45
Female - Quebec - 35-44
1.63
Female - Quebec - 45-54
1.55
Female - Quebec - 55-64
2.12
Female - Quebec - 65+
3.33
Male - Atlantic - 16-24
0.22
Male - Atlantic - 25-34
0.45
Male - Atlantic - 35-44
0.42
Male - Atlantic - 45-54
0.51
Male - Atlantic - 55-64
0.64
Male - Atlantic - 65+
0.94
Female - Atlantic - 16-24
0.24
Female - Atlantic - 25-34
0.41
Female - Atlantic - 35-44
0.48
Female - Atlantic - 45-54
0.50
Female - Atlantic - 55-64
0.63
Female - Atlantic - 65+
1.06
Table 13: Weight factors by region
Label
Weight
British Columbia
14.36
Alberta
11.36
Saskatchewan
2.87
Manitoba
3.53
Ontario
39.19
Quebec
22.20
New Brunswick
1.91
Nova Scotia
2.73
Prince Edward Island
0.33
Newfoundland and Labrador
1.50
Table 14: Weight factors by education level, age, and region
Label
Weight
High school or less
69.41
University – Rest of Canada
24.32
University - Quebec
6.27
Table 15: Weight factors by presence of children in the household
Label
Weight
Yes
25.56
No
74.44
Table 16: Weight factors by level of health literacy
Label
Weight
Limited
7.61
Marginal
18.44
Adequate
73.94
Appendix 3: Questionnaire
Researchers at Health Canada are doing a study on sugars-focused nutrition labels on packaged foods and beverages. You have been asked to take part in this study.
Why are we inviting you to participate in this project?
Health Canada has made several sugars related changes to food labels. Your participation will help Health Canada to know if these changes make it easier to use food labels to make informed food choices.
What will you be doing in this project?
We are asking you to take part in an online questionnaire on your computer or tablet.
You will be asked to look at examples of food labels on packaged foods.
You will be asked to make food choices and answer questions about the food label information.
The questionnaire will take about 30 minutes to do.
Can I be in the project?
Yes, you can if...
You do some food shopping in convenience or grocery stores.
You have access to a computer or tablet with an internet connection.
You can speak and read English or French.
You are at least 16 years old.
You can understand everything on this page.
What if I start the questionnaire and then want to stop? Can I do that?
Yes. Once you start the survey, you can stop at any time. You won't have to explain why you want to stop.
If you decide to stop, none of the information we have collected from you will be used in the analysis, but researchers will use some information such as your age, and gender, if you have provided it, to examine if there are any differences among participants who did not want to take part in the study. The remaining results of your questionnaire responses will be discarded.
Do I have to answer every question in the questionnaire?
Yes. However, you are free to stop answering the questionnaire at any point but you will not receive compensation points as per the Leger panel policy.
Do I get any benefit from being in the project?
You will receive compensation points for completing this questionnaire from Léger as per the email you received with this link. If you do wish to withdraw from the questionnaire at any point in time, you will NOT receive any compensation points, as per Léger policy.
What will we do with the results of the project?
The results of this study will be used by Health Canada to evaluate sugars-focused labelling on packaged foods and beverages.
The results of this study will be used in a research report written by Health Canada.
Health Canada will share this research report with all Canadians on the Library and Archives Canada website.
Health Canada will also prepare a scientific report of the findings and publish them in a scientific journal. Your name will not be used in any of these documents.
Your Rights
Your identifiable personal information will not be shared with Health Canada.
You might have questions about your rights as a person in this project. You might also want to confirm that this project has been approved and is safe for you to be in.
If you have any questions about this research, you can contact:
Elizabeth Mansfield, Health Canada
Telephone: 343-542-4654
Email: beth.mansfield@hc-sc.gc.ca
If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact:
Manager, Research Ethics Board of Health Canada
Telephone: 613-941-5199
Email: REB-CER@hc-sc.gc.ca
Privacy Notice
The personal information you provide to Health Canada is governed in accordance with thePrivacy Act. We only collect the information we need to conduct the research project "Front of Pack Consumer Research Phase II" under Section 4 of the Department of Health Act.
Purpose of collection: We require your personal information to determine your eligibility and record your consent to participate in this research study that will inform labelling policy, guidance documents, and development of labelling tools for prepackaged foods. If you request a copy of the research study, your contact information will be used to provide one to you.
For more information: This personal information collection is described in the standard personal information bank Public Communications – PSU 914, in Info Source, available online at infosource.gc.ca.
Your rights under the Privacy Act: In addition to protecting your personal information, the Privacy Act gives you the right to request access to and correction of your personal information. For more information about these rights, or about our privacy practices, please contact Health Canada's Privacy Coordinator at 613-948-1219 or privacy-vie.privee@hc-sc.gc.ca. You also have the right to file a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you think your personal information has been handled improperly.
Section 1: Demographics- personal characteristics and baseline shopping measures
#
Purpose
Variable
Question, Response Options
[Programmer notes]
1
Screening
Work in the Government or food industry
Are you currently employed in the Government or food industry?
Yes
No
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option; Terminate if respond Yes]
2
Screening
Shopping for food in the past 3 months
Which of these have you done in the past 3 months? Select all that apply
Rows:
Shopped for foods online
Shopped for foods in a grocery or convenience store
Bought a new car
Taken a holiday
Started to learn a new language
None of the above
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options; Randomise order of responses; Terminate if no food shopping online or in store in past 3 months]
3
Demographics/age quota
For audience segmentation
Age
[Must be > 16 years old to participate]
What is your age?
16 – 17
18–24
25–34
35–44
45–54
55–64
65–74
75+
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option]
4
Demographics/gender quota
Gender
How do you identify?
Male
Female
Non-binary
Other
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option]
5
Demographics/regional quota
Region of Canada
What are the 1st 3 digits of your postal code?
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Autocode to provinces /region]
6
Demographics/household
For audience segmentation
Household
Are there children under 18 years old living in your household?
Yes
No
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option]
7
Demographics/soft quota
For audience segmentation
Education
What is the highest level of formal education you have completed?
High school or below
Vocational/trade qualification
Undergraduate degree
Postgraduate degree
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option]
INSERT QFILT1
Nutritional Value Scoring
Calculation of health literacy score.
Image 1Image 1: Descriptive text
Picture of a typical nutrition facts table
This information is on the back of a 500-ml container of ice cream.
1. If you eat the entire container, how many calories will you eat?
Click on an image to enlarge.
a. 250 Calories
b. 300 Calories
c. 500 calories
d. 1000 Calories
e. I do not know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single answer option, correct answer d. 1000 calories.]
Image 1Image 1: Descriptive text
Picture of a typical nutrition facts table
2. If you are allowed to eat 60 grams of carbohydrates as a snack, how much ice cream could you have?
Click on an image to enlarge.
a. ½ cup (125 mL)
b. 1 cup (250 mL)
c. 2 cups (500 mL)
d. 4 cups (1000 mL)
e. I do not know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single answer option, correct answer b. 1 cup (250 mL)]
Image 1Image 1: Descriptive text
Picture of a typical nutrition facts table
3. Your doctor advises you to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. You usually have 42 g of saturated fat each day, which includes one serving of ice cream. If you stop eating ice cream, how many grams of saturated fat would you be eating each day?
Click on an image to enlarge.
a. 9 grams
b. 15 grams
c. 33 grams
d. 42 grams
e. I do not know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single answer option, correct answer c. 33 grams.]
Image 1Image 1: Descriptive text
Picture of a typical nutrition facts table
4. If you usually eat 2,500 calories in a day, what percentage of your daily value of calories will you be eating if you eat one serving of ice cream?
Click on an image to enlarge.
a. 5%
b. 10%
c. 20%
d. 250%
e. I do not know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single answer option, correct answer b. 10%.]
Image 1Image 1: Descriptive text
Picture of a typical nutrition facts table
5. Pretend that you are allergic to the following substances: penicillin, peanuts, latex gloves and bee stings. Is it safe for you to eat this ice cream?
Click on an image to enlarge.
a. Yes
b. No
c. I do not know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single answer option, correct answer b. No]
Image 1Image 1: Descriptive text
Picture of a typical nutrition facts table
6. (Answer only if you responded "No" to question 5) Why not?
a. Contains egg
b. Comes from bees
c. Contains peanut or peanut oil
d. Contains ingredients that may be harmful
e. I do not know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single answer option, correct answer c. Contains peanut or peanut oil.]
Shopping demographic questions
9
Demographics/Shopping
For audience segmentation
Level of shopping
Generally, who does the food shopping for your household? Please include both online and in store food shopping.
I do all or most of the food shopping
I share the responsibility with someone else
Someone else in my household does it
Someone else outside of my household (e.g., a relative or care-giver) does it
Each person does their own food/grocery shopping
None of the above
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option; Randomize order of responses except 'None of the above']
10
Shopping Demographics
For audience segmentation
Type of shopping
How often, if at all, do you …
SHOPTYP1_a buy food at grocery stores or supermarkets?
SHOPTYP1_b buy food online from grocery stores or supermarkets?
SHOPTYP1_c buy food at convenience stores?
SHOPTYP1_d buy meal kits in store or online?
Every day
Most days
2-3 times a week
About once a week
2-3 times a month
About once a month
Less than once a month
Never
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response for each SHOPTYP]
11
Shopping Demographics
Shopping for health reasons
Do any of the following affect the food choices you make for you or your household? Pick all that apply.
· Food allergy or food intolerance [DIETFACTORS_1]
· Digestive concerns such as celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. [DIETFACTORS_2]
· Diet-related health concerns such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. [DIETFACTORS_3]
· Pregnancy or breast feeding [DIETFACTORS_4]
· Looking to lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight [DIETFACTORS_5]
· Vegetarian or vegan [DIETFACTORS_6]
· Religious beliefs that affect food choices [DIETFACTORS_7]
· Training for sports [DIETFACTORS_8]
· Cost of living pressures [DIETFACTORS_9]
· Other things about you or your household that affect food choices (Please specify) [FREE TEXT] [DIETFACTORS_10]
· None of the above. [EXCLUSIVE] [DF0]
[Multiple responses possible, randomise response order except for 'Other' and 'None of the above'.]
12
Nutrition Information Demographics
Sources of information on sugars in foods
If you need information about how to cut down on sugars, saturated fats, sodium (salt) in your diet where would you go for information? Pick all that apply
I don't need information on cutting down on saturated fats, sugars or sodium in my diet [EXCLUSIVE]
Other, please specify: __________
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options except if they choose any of the last 2 options; Randomise order of responses, except 'I don't need information on cutting down on saturated fats, sugars, or sodium in my diet" and "Other"]
13
Food safety knowledge and concerns
FoodSafety
[ASK ALL]
How often do you do the following when preparing food at home?
Please answer on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 = Never, and 7 = Always.
· Clean hands and work surfaces before, during, and after cooking [FS1]
· Keep raw animal products (e.g. meat, eggs, and seafood) separate from ready-to-eat foods (e.g. fruit, vegetables, and cooked foods) in the fridge and when preparing foods. [FS2; include option Not applicable – I don't use raw animal products]
· Cook raw animal products (e.g. meat, eggs, and seafood) to safe food temperatures using a food thermometer. Please consider instances where thorough cooking is not required for the dish (e.g. do not select always if you prepare raw egg smoothies, rare steak, runny eggs, or use raw fish in sushi. [FS3; include option Not applicable – I don't use raw animal products]
· Refrigerate leftovers shortly after you are finished with them (within 2 hours) [FS4]
[Matrix: 1 = Never, 4 = About half the time, 7 = Always; or 'Not applicable – I don't use raw animal products']
INSERT QFILT2
Section 2: Subjective Measures – Risk Perceptions and Label Competencies (Awareness, Understanding, Appraisal and Use) Questions from FSANZ, USFDA, UKFSA, EFSA, TNT Surveys
1
Overall Health - Subjective
Perception of Health
How would you describe your own health, in general?
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option]
2
Level of Interest in food and nutrition
Food Interest
How interested are you in food and nutrition? Would you say that you are:
Very interested
Interested
Not very interested
Not interested at all
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option]
3
Interest in sugars
SUGARS
Are you trying to limit or avoid sugars in your diet?
YES I'm trying to limit sugars
YES I'm trying to avoid sugars entirely
NO I'm not trying to limit or avoid sugars
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option]
4
Types of sugars to limit
SUGARS_LIMIT
What type of sugars are you trying to limit or avoid?
Sugars added to packaged foods and beverages
All types of sugars, both added sugars and sugars naturally present in foods
Sugars naturally present in foods (e.g., sugars in whole fruit and plain dairy products)
Other, please specify: ___________
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options; randomize order of responses]
5
Label Awareness
EXAMPLE: Can filter by demographic profile, in store vs online, and by frequency of shopping (e.g., men/women, % shopping online at least weekly who always/often pay attention to food labels)
Awareness of nutrition information on food labels
When shopping for foods how often do you pay attention to the labels on foods and beverages?
Always
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option]
6
Label Use
[ASK IF LAlbertaEL_AWARE=always/often/sometimes]
What information on the food labels do you pay most attention to? Pick up to 3 answers from the given ones
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options up to 3; Randomise order of responses except "Other"]
7
Dietary Sugars Knowledge
For each of the following statements, please indicate whether you think it is true or false.
A product with a "no added sugars" claim contains 0 grams of sugar
Added sugars are all artificial
Sugars and added sugars are the same
Fructose, glucose, sucrose can be used as added sugars
Added sugars can be from natural sources such as honey and maple syrup
Added sugars are added during food preparation
Fruit contains sugars
Plain milk contains sugars
Fruit yogurt contains added sugars
Sugars are only added to sweeten foods
100% fruit juice contains sugars
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Randomise order that the items appear]
8
Dietary Sugars Knowledge
In which of the following products do you expect to find added sugars? Pick all that apply
Fresh vegetables
Ready-to-eat meals
Fresh fruits
Plain yogurt
Fruit yogurt
100% Fruit juice
Honey
Ice cream
Breakfast cereals (cornflakes, bran flakes)
Milk
Baked goods (cookies, cakes, pastries)
Sweets and chocolate
Sauces and condiments
Soft drinks
Energy drinks
Sports drinks
Alcoholic beverages
None of the above
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options; Randomise except "None of the above"]
7
Dietary Sugars Risk Perception
For each of the following statements, please indicate whether you think it is true or false.
Low sugars intake may decrease the risk of dental caries;
The intake of foods or beverages with added sugars has been associated with an increased risk of weight gain, overweight and obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Drinking water instead of sugar sweetened beverages may decrease risk of dental caries;
Canadian guidelines are to consume less than 100 grams of sugars a day;
It is better for health to limit those foods which contain high levels of sugars such as sugary drinks (soft drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks and juices) and confectionaries (includes sweets such as candies, candy bars, fruit leathers, chocolate, and chocolate coated treats).
Foods and beverages with added sweeteners (e.g., acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, steviol glycosides, sugar alcohols) need to be consumed to reduce sugars intake.
Response options for each item:
True
False
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Randomize order that items appear]
8
How important, if at all, are the following factors when you shop for food products?
Please answer on a scale from 0 to 5, where 0 = Not at all Important, and 5 = Very Important.
"Zero sugar" OR "Does not contain sugar" OR "Free of sugar"
"No sugar added"
"Low in sugar"
"Reduced in sugar"
"Lower in sugar"
"Naturally sweetened"
"Sweetened with fruit"
"Lightly sweetened"
Scale
0 1 2 3 4 5
Not at all Important Very Important
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Randomize order that claims appear]
9
Use of sweeteners
Do you have a preference for the type of sweet tasting ingredients used in the products you purchase? Pick one
Added sugars (e.g., sugar, honey, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup)
No calorie sweeteners (e.g., aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, steviol glycosides)
No preference, I consume all types of sweeteners and added sugars
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option; Randomize order of responses]
INSERT QFILT3
Section 3: Choice Food Tasks – Investigating the Effects of Label Competencies (Awareness, Understanding, Appraisal and Use) and health-related consumption purpose and their interaction on food choices, using cereals, beverages, bars and yogurts
TOTAL of 21 Questions: 14 Task based Questions + 6 NVS Questions + 1 sugars labelling utility question Task Order & On Screen Randomization Notes: Cereal and bar tasks will always appear first, order of yogurt and beverage tasks to be randomized. Product order (within task) to be randomized.
TASK
Type and Food Products
Variable Name
Answer derivatives
OVERALL TASK Objectives:
Awareness, understanding, and use of the sugars information in the NFt = (g) and % daily value;
VOICE OVER: In this next section you will see images of packaged foods and be asked a series of questions.
Imagine that you want to choose a cereal for you or your household, which one would you choose? Assume all the cereals cost the same.
Click on an image to enlarge.
Cheerios
Multi Grain Cheerios
Oat Crunch Cinnamon Cheerios
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option; Randomize presentation order of food products on screen, and record order of randomization]
Q2.
Label use in intrinsically motivated task
Label info used to make intrinsically motivated cereal choice
What information did you pay most attention to when making your decision? Pick up to 3 answers.
Name of cereal
Food picture
Nutrition claims (e.g., whole grain, source of fibre)
Nutrition facts table
List of ingredients
Other, please specify: __________________
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options up to 3; Randomize order of responses except "Other"]
Q3a.
No USE of NFT
Base: Respondents who DID NOT choose Nutrition Facts table in Q2
What are the main reasons why you did NOT pay attention to the information in the nutrition facts table? Pick up to 3 answers
I already have a pretty good idea of the nutritional benefits of the product
I don't think the information is relevant unless you have a particular medical condition or disease
I don't see a real benefit from using the information
It's too confusing/too difficult to understand
It doesn't contain the information I'm looking for
I'm not confident in the accuracy of the information
I don't care/not that interested
It takes too much time to read and use it
Other, please specify: __________________
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options up to 3; Randomize order of responses except "Other"]
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Before participants move onto next question, do we want a pop-up after one or two options are selected to see if they used any other information?]
Q3b.
USE of NFT
Base: Respondents who choose NFT in Q2
Use of NFt to make intrinsically motivated cereal choice
Please indicate how you used the information in the nutrition facts table. Pick up to 3 answers
To see if the cereal has a little or a lot of sugars
To get an idea of the number of calories provided by the cereal
To see the serving size of the cereal
To see if the cereal has a little or a lot of the nutrients I may want to eat more of (e.g., fibre, vitamins and minerals)
To see if nutrition claims made on the package are true
To figure out how much of the cereal I should eat
To compare the grams of sugars in each cereal
Other: __________________
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Randomize order of responses except Other]
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Before participants move onto next question, do we want a pop-up after one or two options are selected to see if they used any other information?]
TASK 2 – Perception of Healthiness Ranking for products that are "high in"/have "a lot" of sugars:
Objectives
To quantify perception of healthiness by degree of processing (LOI) and sugars content in NFt (g sugars and/or %DV)
to identify and distinguish the sources of sugars added to the food;
Q4-7. Perception of healthiness by degree of processing
FOOD TASK - with (4) BARS
Perceived healthiness of bars varying by degree of processing (i.e., list of ingredients). (ALL HIGH IN SUGAR)
BARS:
NB-Nakd Bar (18% DV)
LB-Larabar (20 % DV)
NB-Nutrigrain Bar (15% DV)
CB-Compliments Bar (14% DV)
Rank the overall healthiness of each bar.
Click on an image to enlarge.
Nakd
Larabar
Nutrigrain Bar
Compliments Bar
Please rank the bar on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 = Not at all healthy, and 10 = Very healthy.
[Show all images with click to NFT and LOI - 2 by 2 table format on screen]
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Not at all healthy Very healthy
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Randomize presentation order of food products on screen, in 2 x 2 format. Show scale horizontally on computer browsers, and vertically on tablet browsers]
Q8.
Label Use for ranking of healthiness
Label info used to rank perceived healthiness with varying degree of processing of each of the bars
What information did you pay most attention to when making your decision? Pick up to 3 answers
Brand
Food picture
Nutrition Claims (e.g., source of vitamins, natural ingredients)
Nutrition Facts table
List of ingredients
Other, please specify
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options up to 3; Randomize order of responses except "Other"]
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Before participants move onto next question, do we want a pop-up after one or two options are selected to see if they used any other information?]
Q9.
Use of LOI
List of Ingredients Information
BASE: Respondents who choose Q8 – List of Ingredients
Please indicate how you used the information in the list of ingredients to rate the healthiness of the bars. Pick up to 3 answers
To know if there are any added sugars
To see the types of added sugars
To see the number of ingredients
To see if there are any unfamiliar ingredients
To see if there are any allergens
To see if there are any added vitamins or minerals
Other, please specify: __________________
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options up to 3; Randomize order of responses except "Other"]
TASK 3 – FINDAlbertaILITY: to identify sugary foods that should be limited, such as those with a "a lot" of sugars i.e., a daily value of 15% or more. (2 Questions TOTAL)
Awareness, understanding and use of NFT – specifically the g and %DV sugars
Q10. Findability
Food Task with yogurts
To compare similar food products and identify products that have a lot of sugars (i.e., is high in sugars), with and without reduced in sugars claim.
Astro original vanilla (17 g sugars, 3.25% MF, Balkan)
Which of these yogurts have "a lot" of sugars? Pick all that apply.
Click on an image to enlarge.
IOGO vanilla
Liberte vanilla 3% Greek yogurt
Astro original vanilla
None of them
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options; Randomize presentation order of food products on screen, align response order accordingly except "I don't know"; correct answer is IOGO vanilla and Astro original vanilla]
Q11. Label_Use for findability task
LabelUse
Label info used to make decision
Click on the information you used when making your decision? Pick up to 3 answers
Type of yogurt (e.g., Greek, Balkan, Regular)
Nutrition claims (e.g., 30% less sugar)
Grams of sugars in the nutrition facts table
% daily value of sugars in the nutrition facts table
Grouping of added sugars in the list of ingredients
Other, please specify: __________________
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options up to 3; Randomize order except "Other"; only show if participants choose responses other than "I don't know" in Q10]
Task 4 – NUTRIENT SPECIFIC: to choose a beverage for someone who needs to reduce sugars intake (3 Questions)
To quantify and compare sugars content using NFt (g sugars and/or %DV)
to identify and distinguish the sources of added sugars and other sweetening agents added to the food
Q12. Nutrient specific task
Food Task with (3) beverages (on screen showing FOP + BOP)
Ability to identify product lower in sugars, with varying sources of sugars-based ingredients, varying sugars claims and use of NN sweeteners.
Minute Maid NUTRI Fibre
Minute Maid 40 Cal Watermelon blueberry
Minute Maid 100% Fruit Blend
Choose a beverage for someone who drinks a fruit juice daily but wants to reduce their sugars intake. Assume all beverages cost the same.
Click on an image to enlarge.
Minute Maid NUTRI Fibre Mixed Berry
Minute Maid Watermelon blueberry
Minute Maid Fruit blend
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Single response option; Randomize presentation order of food products on screen, align response order accordingly]
Q13. Label_Use for nutrient specific task
Label Use to make decision?
Make options clickable
Click on the information you used when making your decision? Pick up to 3 answers
Name of beverage
Food picture
Nutrition claims (e.g., 50% less sugar)
Grams of sugars in the nutrition facts table
% daily value of sugars in the nutrition facts table
List of ingredients
Other, please specify: __________________
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options up to 3; Randomize order except "Other"]
Q14. LOI_USE
Use of LOI
BASE: those that picked Q13 List of ingredients
Please indicate how you used the information in the list of ingredients to make your decision. Pick up to 3 answers
To see if there are any added sugars
To see if there are sweeteners, such as sucralose
To see the types of fruit in the beverages
To see if there are any added vitamins or minerals
To see if there are any added food colours (e.g., Allura red)
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Multiple response options up to 3; Randomize order except "Other"]
Tasks for Sugars Literacy (single foods) 6 Questions
Objectives – to create a score for sugars labelling competencies (KNOWLEDGE) ranging from 0-6 (limited: 0-1, marginal:2-3, adequate: 4-6)
CREATE Health Literacy Score: +1pt for each correct answer (in green) and create the groupings above.
Q15 – SL_1
Awareness, understanding, and use of grams sugars. Calculation of amount of sugars when consuming multi-serving amount of food.
Image 2Image 2: Descriptive text
Picture of a box of nature Valley Packed Energy Bars
If you eat all the energy bars in this box, how many grams of sugars will you eat?
Answer Options
15 g
30 g
45 g
60 g
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: single response option; correct answer 60 g]
Q16 – SL_2
Awareness and understanding of sugars %DV value in the context of the footnote.
Image 2Image 2: Descriptive text
Picture of a box of nature Valley Packed Energy Bars
Does one of these energy bars contain a little or a lot of sugar?
Answer Options
A little
A lot
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: single response option; correct answer A lot]
Q17-SL_3
Awareness and understanding of grams sugars. Calculation of amount of sugars with nutrient specific sugars reduction goal.
Image 3Image 3: Descriptive text
Picture of a 750ml carton of Sealtest 1% Chocolate Milk
Your doctor advises you to reduce the amount of sugars in your diet. You usually have 110 g of sugars each day, which includes one cup of chocolate milk. If you stop consuming the chocolate milk how many grams of sugars would you be eating each day?
Answer Options:
70 g
85 g
95 g
100 g
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: single response option; correct answer 85 g]
Q18 – SL_4
Awareness and understanding of sugars %DV.
Image 3Image 3: Descriptive text
Picture of a 750ml carton of Sealtest 1% Chocolate Milk
What percentage of your daily value of sugars will you be consuming if you have two cups of this chocolate milk per day?
Answer Options:
25 %
45 %
50 %
60 %
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: single response option; correct answer 50% DV]
Q19 – SL_5
Awareness of Sugars grouping in the LOI
Image 4Image 4: Descriptive text
Picture of a package of Motts Fruitsations Original apple sauce.
What are the added sugar in this fruit snack? Pick all that apply
Answer Options:
Apples
Glucose-fructose
Strawberry puree
Water
Natural flavour
Ascorbic Acid
Allura Red
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Randomize presentation order of responses on screen, always leaving "I don't know" as last option; correct answers are glucose-fructose and strawberry puree]
Q20 – SL_6
Understanding of Sugars grouping in the LOI
Image 4Image 4: Descriptive text
Picture of a package of Motts Fruitsations Original apple sauce.
Which added sugar is present in the largest amount in this fruit snack?
Apples
Glucose-fructose
Strawberry puree
Water
Natural flavour
Ascorbic Acid
Allura Red
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: Randomize presentation order of responses on screen, always leaving "I don't know" as last option; answer is glucose-fructose]
Q21
Overall Label Utility Perceptions
How easy is it for you to compare the sugars content of foods using the labelling?
Very easy
Fairly easy
Not very easy
Not easy at all
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: single response option]
Q22
Overall Label Utility Perceptions
How easy is it for you to compare the added sugars content of foods using the labelling?
Very easy
Fairly easy
Not very easy
Not easy at all
I don't know
[PROGRAMMER NOTE: single response option]
This concludes the survey. Your answers have been submitted. Thank you for your participation!
