According to Gram Research analysis, traffic light-style menu labels—using red, yellow, and green colors—effectively help people order more environmentally sustainable fast-food meals. A 2025 randomized trial of 6,210 US adults found that traffic light labels reduced greenhouse gas emissions from meals by 15% at burger restaurants and 30% at sandwich restaurants, with no increase in meal costs. These labels were also the most noticeable and best understood by customers compared to other label types.
A major study tested whether special labels on fast-food menus could help people make better choices for their health and the planet. Researchers gave over 6,200 people different types of menu labels and watched what they ordered from burger and sandwich restaurants. The traffic light-style labels—using red, yellow, and green colors like real traffic lights—worked best. People who saw these labels ordered meals with lower environmental impact, especially at sandwich restaurants. The labels didn’t cost restaurants or customers any extra money, making them a practical way to encourage healthier eating.
Key Statistics
A 2025 randomized controlled trial of 6,210 US adults found that traffic light-style menu labels reduced greenhouse gas emissions from fast-food meals by 15% at burger restaurants and 29.8% at sandwich restaurants compared to control labels.
In the same study, 78.3% of participants noticed the traffic light label, and 88.7% correctly understood what the label was communicating about food environmental impact.
The traffic light label improved meal healthfulness scores at burger restaurants (49.93 vs 49.25 points on a nutrition index) compared to control labels, with no increase in meal costs across any label condition.
Among five different label types tested (control, low-climate-impact, high-climate-impact, traffic light, and grade-scale), only the traffic light label significantly promoted healthier food choices at the burger restaurant.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Whether different types of menu labels showing environmental impact could help people order healthier, more sustainable meals at fast-food restaurants
- Who participated: 6,210 adults from across the United States, average age 48 years, recruited online in April 2025. About half were women. All participants were asked to order lunch from two different fast-food restaurants.
- Key finding: Traffic light-style labels (using red, yellow, and green colors) were the most effective. People who saw these labels ordered meals that produced 15% less greenhouse gas emissions at burger restaurants and 30% less at sandwich restaurants compared to people who saw a control label.
- What it means for you: If fast-food restaurants added traffic light labels to their menus, it could help you make choices that are better for your health and the environment without paying more. However, this was an online study, so real-world results in actual restaurants may differ.
The Research Details
This was a randomized controlled trial, which is one of the strongest types of scientific studies. Researchers randomly assigned 6,210 people to five different groups. Each group saw a different type of menu label while ordering from two fast-food restaurants online. One group saw just a QR code (the control group), while the other four groups saw different types of environmental labels: low-climate-impact labels, high-climate-impact labels, traffic light labels, and grade-scale labels (like A, B, C grades).
Participants ordered lunch from two restaurants—one focused on burgers and one focused on sandwiches. Researchers then measured how healthy the meals were using a special scoring system, how much greenhouse gas the meals would produce, how many calories they contained, and what they cost. They also asked people what they thought about the labels and whether they understood what the labels meant.
Because this was a randomized trial with a large sample size and clear measurements, it provides strong evidence about which labels actually work to change people’s choices.
Understanding which menu labels actually change what people order is important because restaurants are where many people eat. If a simple label design can help people make healthier and more environmentally friendly choices without any extra cost, it could be a practical solution that benefits both public health and the planet. This study tested real-world restaurant menus, making the findings more relevant than laboratory studies.
This study has several strengths: it included over 6,200 participants from across the US, used random assignment to reduce bias, tested multiple label types to compare them fairly, and measured specific outcomes like meal healthfulness and environmental impact. The study was conducted online, which allowed researchers to control conditions carefully. However, because it was online rather than in actual restaurants, people might have made different choices if they were ordering in person. The study was also conducted in April 2025, so it’s very recent research.
What the Results Show
The traffic light label was the clear winner among all the label types tested. At burger restaurants, people who saw the traffic light label ordered meals with a healthfulness score of 49.93 compared to 49.25 for the control group—a small but statistically significant improvement. More importantly, the traffic light label led to much lower environmental impact: meals ordered with this label produced 15% less greenhouse gas at burger restaurants and 29% less at sandwich restaurants.
The other label types (low-climate-impact, high-climate-impact, and grade-scale labels) did not significantly improve the healthfulness of meals ordered at either restaurant type. This suggests that the visual design of the label matters—the simple red, yellow, and green colors of the traffic light system were more effective than other approaches.
People also understood the traffic light labels better than other types. About 78% of people noticed the traffic light label, and 89% correctly understood what it was showing. This high recognition and comprehension likely explains why it was more effective at changing choices.
Importantly, none of the labels increased the cost of meals. People paid the same amount whether they saw a control label or any of the environmental labels, showing that this strategy doesn’t require customers to spend more money.
The study found that the traffic light label’s effectiveness varied by restaurant type. At the burger restaurant, the label improved both healthfulness and environmental impact. At the sandwich restaurant, it didn’t significantly improve healthfulness scores, but it did reduce environmental impact by nearly 30%. This suggests that the label works differently depending on what food options are available. The sandwich restaurant may have already had healthier options, so the label’s main benefit there was steering people toward lower-impact choices. The study also showed that people’s perceptions of the labels mattered—those who understood what the labels meant were more likely to be influenced by them.
Previous research has suggested that menu labels can influence food choices, but most studies tested labels in controlled settings or with limited food options. This study is notable because it tested labels on realistic fast-food menus with many options, similar to what people encounter in real restaurants. The finding that traffic light labels outperform other label types aligns with research from other countries showing that traffic light systems are intuitive and easy for people to understand quickly. However, this is one of the first large US studies specifically testing whether these labels can promote both health and environmental sustainability together.
The study was conducted online, not in actual restaurants, so people might make different choices when ordering in person with real money. The study only tested two fast-food restaurants (one burger-focused, one sandwich-focused), so results may not apply to all restaurant types. Participants knew they were part of a study, which might have made them more conscious of their choices than they would be normally. The study measured immediate choices, not long-term eating habits, so we don’t know if people would continue making healthier choices over time. Finally, the study was conducted in April 2025, so it’s very recent and hasn’t been confirmed by other researchers yet.
The Bottom Line
If you eat at fast-food restaurants, traffic light-style labels on menus could help you make choices that are better for your health and the environment. However, these labels aren’t yet widely available in most US restaurants. You can apply similar thinking yourself by choosing meals with more vegetables, less fried food, and smaller portions. If you want to support this approach, you could encourage restaurants you frequent to adopt traffic light labels. The evidence for this specific label type is strong (based on a large randomized trial), but real-world effectiveness may differ from online ordering.
This research matters most for people who regularly eat at fast-food restaurants and want to make healthier choices. It’s also relevant for restaurant owners and policymakers considering how to promote sustainable eating. Parents concerned about their children’s fast-food choices should know about this approach. However, if you rarely eat fast food or already carefully read nutrition information, this may matter less to you. The study focused on adults, so we don’t know if the labels work the same way for children.
If restaurants adopted traffic light labels, you could see the benefits immediately—the study showed that people made different choices the first time they saw the labels. However, to see real health benefits from eating more sustainable meals, you’d need to maintain these choices over weeks and months. Environmental benefits would accumulate over time as more people make these choices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do traffic light food labels actually help people make healthier choices?
Research shows traffic light labels do influence choices. A 2025 study of 6,210 people found that traffic light labels led to meals with 15-30% lower environmental impact at fast-food restaurants. However, the effect on pure healthfulness varied by restaurant type, suggesting the label works best when combined with available healthy options.
What’s the difference between traffic light labels and other types of food labels?
Traffic light labels use red, yellow, and green colors to quickly show if a food is high-impact (red), moderate (yellow), or low-impact (green). A 2025 study found 78% of people noticed traffic light labels compared to other designs, and 89% understood what they meant, making them more effective at changing choices.
Do eco-friendly food labels cost restaurants or customers more money?
No. The 2025 study found that meals ordered with traffic light labels cost the same as meals ordered without labels. This makes environmental labeling a low-cost strategy for restaurants to promote sustainable choices without raising prices for customers.
Are fast-food restaurants using traffic light labels yet?
Most US fast-food restaurants don’t currently use traffic light labels. This 2025 study provides evidence that they could work, but adoption depends on restaurant chains deciding to implement them. Some countries outside the US have had more success with these labels.
Would traffic light labels work the same in real restaurants as they did in this online study?
This study was conducted online, so real-world results in actual restaurants might differ. People ordering in person with real money might make different choices than online participants. More research in actual restaurants would help confirm these findings.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Track the ’traffic light score’ of your fast-food meals by noting how many items you order that would be labeled green (healthiest), yellow (moderate), or red (higher impact) if restaurants used this system. Aim to increase your green selections week over week.
- When ordering from fast-food restaurants, use the app to check the environmental impact and nutrition of menu items before ordering. Create a personal ‘green list’ of lower-impact meals you enjoy, then prioritize ordering from that list.
- Set a weekly reminder to log your fast-food orders and their estimated environmental impact. Track trends over a month to see if you’re gradually shifting toward lower-impact choices. Compare your greenhouse gas emissions from food choices to other activities to understand the real-world impact.
This research describes findings from a single online study conducted in April 2025. While the study was large and well-designed, it was conducted online rather than in actual restaurants, which may affect real-world applicability. These findings should not replace advice from your healthcare provider or registered dietitian. If you have specific health conditions or dietary needs, consult a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your eating habits. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.