Different Shades of Nudges: Moderating Effects of Individual Characteristics and States on the Effectiveness of Nudges during a Fast-Food Order

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The study is very interesting and innovative. It has scientific merit and was well conducted. However I think the authors must dedicate themselves to be more clear. In the current form, it is very hard to reproduce the study. The methods need a careful review.

1. It was very hard to provide the review without the line numbers. Isn’t this a submission requirement?

Title - While reading the title, I did not associate with food or food delivery. I think you should include a word or two for clarity.

Abstract – Please include sample “n”

Hypothesize shouldn’t be hypothesized?

Introduction – The introduction is clear and well written, some minor comments:

“A classic example of a nudge is rearranging food in a school cafeteria to make low-calorie options more accessible than high-calorie options” – How? Please be clearer

You should include some sentences describing why and how O2O systems could facilitate bad food choices (fat-rich, high-calorie, big sized etc). There is a lot of references for it.

“Another evidence on possible interaction is provided by [12]” – Please include authors name. Do this for all other citations like this.

Methods:

• Germany is a large country. Did you enroll the sample from different country regions?
• Where do you recruit the sample? Are they university students? There was any sample calculation?
• Was it presential or online research? I’m confused about this. If it was presential, were the protocol was conducted?
• “calories per meal2” what is this “2”?
• How was the simulation? Did they use a computer? Smartphone? I really do not understand the experiment protocol. Please describe with detail the sample and procedures.
• Is table 3 correct? In OA you used the color system, and in CCS used the assistant.
• “BMI was calculated as BMI=Weight/(Height/100)2” What is this “2”?
• The hunger scale needs a reference. I think prof Graham Finlayson uses a similar scale. Please check.
• Table 6 – I think you should describe the sample in the first part of results.
• Where is the statistical section in methods?

Results

• Why you used Tamhane’s T2 posthoc test? This should be described in the methods. I think you also should include an effect size measure.
• The equation is a linear regression, right? Please define in the methods all the procedures for linear regression, including goodness-of-fit, residual analysis etc. All this part of the linear equation should be in the methods section.
• Which software was used for statistical analysis?
• I think Figures 1 to 3 could be included as a supplementary file.

Discussion: The discussion is adequate.

Please include study limitations and clear describe practical implications.

Author Response

Please see attachment

Reviewer 2 Report

This paper explores the heterogeneity of the nudging effects among young adults when making fast food choices. Overall, I think this article provides interesting information on nudges. The study is well thought and well presented. I have provided some minor comments below:

• Please write down the rationale why you chose young adults in the methods section instead of giving reasons in the introduction.
• Please write down the full name of PANAS when it was first mentioned and provide a reason why you chose it in the first place.
• The limitations and strengths of the study should have been given before the conclusion. 

Author Response

Please see attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

This is an excellent manuscript. The research problem is original and important. The applied experimental methodology is correct. The results are presented clearly.

Please refer to:

1. Bryła P., Who reads food labels? Selected predictors of consumer interest in front-of-package and back-of-package labels during and after the purchase, Nutrients, 2020, Vol. 12, 2605. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092605.
2. Vecchio R., Cavallo C., Increasing healthy food choices through nudges: A systematic review, Food Quality and Preference, 2019, Vol. 78, 103714, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2019.05.014.

page 2 - please put the name before [13]

Author Response

Please see attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript is improved and can be accepted