Does the magnitude of relative calorie distance affect food consumption?

Both secondary data and experimental studies offer mixed results regarding the effect of calorie information on consumed calories. Our theoretical model provides foundations to explain heterogeneous responses found in empirical literature by identifying two opposing forces affecting intake. Informing consumers about content food alternatives can lead low-calorie decisions. However, relative distance between items induce temptation reduce effectiveness information. We implement laboratory restaurant experiments with incentivized choices where we exogenously manipulate magnitude salience difference alternatives. document that providing increases propensity choose option range 3–10 percentage points. But discounts 3 Hence, impact depends magnitudes these forces.