An Empirical Analysis of Nutritional Transparency Initiatives in Fast Food Chains: Pathways to Sustainable Social Development

DOI: https://doie.org/10.10399/APER.2025665699

Authors:

Dr. Surbhi Mathur, Dr. Aditi Kaushik, Dr. Mehak Gulati

Keywords:

Nutritional Information, Public Health, Social Development, Fast Food, Buying Behavior.

Abstract:

Accessibility of nutritional information in fast food chains is trending due to paradigm shift in consumers’ eating choices (Sahin & Gul, 2022 and Mason et al., 2020). The objective of study is to highlight the initiatives taken by fast food chains in respect of transparency of nutritional information and how this leads to social development in terms of regulatory nutritional disclosures and availability of healthier meals alternatives.

Convenience sampling was used, and a self- administered survey was employed to collect the data. A total of 405 responses were collected to align with the requirement of PLS-SEM. The results suggest that diverse choices on the menu do motivate the customer to make healthy choices, which adds to the overall social well-being. Also, mandatory disclosures of nutritional information do help customers to make well-informed decisions which further reduces the chances of diseases.

The findings underline the effectiveness of nutritional labelling as a public health strategy to encourage healthier eating habits. Fast food chains should implement clear nutritional information to cater to the increasing preference for healthier food options, as suggested by Sobaih & Abdelaziz (2022). The implications recommend that improving nutritional transparency can result in a shift in buyers’ behaviour towards healthier eating, ultimately contributing to improved public health outcomes, as supported by Osman & Jenkins, 2021. Thereby, by integrating nutritional information into marketing strategies fast-food chains can not only improve their brand image but significantly impact buyer’s behaviour towards healthy food choices.

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