Understanding Food Choices in Bahrain Using Bahrain E-Mart

Using a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) and an intercept survey, the investigators aim to evaluate the effects of the Multiple-Traffic Light (MTL) front-of-pack (FOP) food labels in Bahrain, on diet quality of grocery shoppers in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The investigators will use an experimental online grocery store, called Bahrain e-Mart, which is similar in design to commercial web-based grocery stores to test these labels. Participants will complete an online shopping experiment on Bahrain e-Mart such that those assigned to the control arm and those assigned to the intervention arm would be exposed to food and beverage products with no FOP labels and with MTL labels, respectively. Participants will randomly be assigned to one of the following arms and asked to complete a one-time shop. Arm 1 (Control): Participants will experience a default version of Bahrain e-Mart which replicates the traditional shopping experience of online grocery stores with no FOP labels. Arm 2 (MTL): Same as Arm 1 Bahrain e-Mart except that Multiple-Traffic Light (MTL) labels are displayed on all food and beverage products. The investigators hypothesize the following: Hypothesis 1: Diet quality, as measured by weighted (by the number of servings) average of all purchased products\' Multiple Traffic Light scores for the shopping trip, will be greater in Arm 2 as compared to Control. Multiple Traffic Light is a nutrition labelling system wherein each nutrient attribute constituting this label is assigned different colours according to whether the amount of that nutrient is low (green), medium (amber) or high (red). Hypothesis 2: Diet quality, as measured by weighted (by the number of servings) average of all purchased products\' Nutri-Score points for the shopping trip, will be greater in Arm 2 as compared to Control. Relying on the British Food Standard Agency Nutrient Profiling System, the Nutri-Score (NS) point system assigns points to each product based on levels of 7 nutrients (calories, saturated fats, sugar, salt, fibre, protein and percentage of fruits, vegetables, and nuts) per 100g or 100 ml to assess overall nutritional quality. The final NS points range from 0 to 55, with 0 being the least healthy score and 55 the healthiest. Hypothesis 3: The weighted (by the number of servings) average calories (kcal), sugar (g), sodium (mg), total fat (g), and saturated fat (g) per serving will be less in Arm 2 as compared to Control.