Interview with dr.ir. Ellen van Kleef

How did your transition from the field of diets and nutrition to the field of consumer behavior and nudging occur? Was there a specific experience that led you to favor nudging?

I did a Masters in Nutrition and Health, but my main interest was in ‘the why’ of food choices and the psychology behind it. That is why I did my PhD in marketing and consumer science. It soon became clear that the environment in which consumers make choices is very important. After 2008, the book Nudge by Thaler and Sunstein became a source of inspiration for many, including me, to convert knowledge of consumer choice processes into feasible interventions in real life choice environments. So from that time I did a lot of research in restaurants, schools, work canteens and shops, also with students.

What challenges have you encountered while implementing nudges, and how have you addressed them?

In an environment where there is a lot of unhealthy and unsustainable food being promoted, mostly because it makes up the majority of the options available in food service outlets, supermarkets, and advertisements, a small and subtle nudge may not have a significant impact. The challenge lies in taking bigger steps and testing nudges in real-life situations to see if they are effective and robust. By conducting these studies in real-life contexts, we can understand the true potential of nudges and identify strategies that can drive meaningful change in promoting healthier and more sustainable food choices.

In your opinion, what are the key factors that contribute to the success of a nudge? What conditions need to be in place?

When it comes to successfully implementing nudges in food environments, several key factors play a crucial role. First, a thorough understanding of the contextual influences is crucial. This enables the design of nudges that are specifically tailored to the environment. Collaborating with choice architects, such as shop or restaurant owners, can considerably enhance this process. Second, in addition to implementing “low hanging fruit” nudges, it is important to prioritize impactful strategies, such as altering defaults, to maximize the effectiveness of nudging efforts. Third, integrating nudges as part of a comprehensive package of interventions is essential. Nudges alone are not a ‘cure-all’ for transforming eating environments. Complementary measures, including legislation and education, are also necessary to foster the transition toward a more sustainable food system.

How do you envision the future of nudging? What potential impact do you anticipate it having on sustainable food environments?

I envision a future where nudges are widely implemented to make healthy and sustainable choices easier, socially acceptable, and more appealing. To achieve this, it would be beneficial for researchers and practitioners to foster closer collaboration. By doing so, we can not only gather data on a small scale but also integrate and analyse data to gain a comprehensive understanding of the variations between countries, changes over time, and the impacts on diverse consumer groups. This collective knowledge will empower us to refine and optimize nudging strategies, ultimately creating positive and lasting changes in consumer behaviour worldwide.