To date the effectiveness of inducing lower-calorie choices by providing
consumers with calorie information has yielded mixed results. Here four
controlled experiments show that adding dish-specific calorie
information to menus (calorie posting) tends to result in lower-calorie
choices. However, additionally grouping low-calorie dishes into a single
"low-calorie" category (calorie organizing) ironically diminishes the
positive effects of calorie posting. This outcome appears to be caused
by the effect that grouping low-calorie options has on consumers'
consideration sets. When choosing from a calorie-organized menu,
consumers are more likely to filter out low-calorie options in the early
noncompensatory screening stages of the decision process and,
consequently, are less likely to choose low-calorie options. This result
disappears when consumers deliberate longer before choosing. These
results are important for consumer welfare as well-intentioned
restaurateurs (policy makers) may be tempted to institute (mandate) the
calorie organization of menus, inadvertently resulting in consumers
choosing higher-calorie meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]