Warning labels for non-nutritive sweeteners: impacts on Chilean parents' choices and perceptions

BackgroundIn 2016, Chile mandated that products high in sugar carry warning labels. Following this policy, use and consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) increased, raising concerns about intake among children. Chile is now considering adding a new warning to its labeling system stating: "CONTAINS NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENERS, AVOID CONSUMPTION AMONG CHILDREN." However, this and other NNS labeling approaches - e.g., Colombias "CONTAINS NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENERS" stop signs - have never been empirically tested. MethodsIn 2025, Chilean parents of children ages 2-14 (n=3,523) completed an online experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to see either no NNS label (control), Chiles proposed NNS label, or Colombias existing NNS label on NNS-containing products. Participants saw four products (one without added sweeteners and three sweetened with either sugar, NNS, or both) and were asked to select one for their child, to identify NNS-containing products, and, afterwards, to report which labels they saw. Next, participants saw NNS-containing products alone and rated the NNS labels perceived message effectiveness (PME) and products healthfulness. Lastly, participants rated their intentions to limit their childrens future NNS intake. We report average differential effects (ADEs) compared to control in percentage points (pp) or on scales ranging from 1 (low) to 5 (high). ResultsBoth the Chilean (ADE=67pp, p<0.001) and the Colombian (ADE=69pp, p<0.001) labels led to higher identification of NNS-containing products. Both labels led to lower selection of NNS-containing products (Chilean label ADE range=-22pp,-35pp; Colombian label ADE range=-22,-33pp; all p<0.001) and to higher selection of products without added sweeteners (Chilean label ADE range=20,35pp; Colombian label ADE range=22,31pp; all p<0.001). Neither label led to higher selection of sugar-sweetened products. Afterwards, 63% of participants in the Chilean NNS label condition and 84% in the Colombian NNS label condition reported seeing NNS labels (p<0.001). Lastly, both labels led to higher PME (Chilean label ADE=1.53; Colombian label ADE=0.92, both p<0.001), lower product healthfulness perceptions (Chilean label ADE=1.43, Colombian label ADE=0.81, both p<0.001), and higher intentions to limit childrens NNS intake (Chilean label ADE=0.66, Colombian label ADE=0.17, both p<0.001). ConclusionsNNS labels greatly improved parents NNS identification and led to healthier product choices for their children, showing promise for curbing NNS intake in this vulnerable population.