Augmented reality (AR) is a relatively new form of human-computer interaction which superimposes computer-generated information into a person's view of the real world, creating an illusion where both virtual and real objects coexist in the same space. Recently, there has been increasing interest in exploring how AR technology can be used to promote healthier eating habits. The aim of this study
... [Show full abstract] was to investigate participant’s use and understanding of nutrition labels of two commercially available products (lasagne ready meal and strawberry yogurt) displayed using an innovative AR tool comprising visual and / or auditory elements. A total of 30 participants, recruited at Teagasc Food Research Centre, Dublin, were randomly assigned to one of the following three experimental conditions: (1) ‘Original Packaging’ (no AR technology used); (2) ‘Visual AR’ (nutritional information was visually displayed using AR); and (3) ‘Visual and Audio AR’ (nutritional information was visually displayed using AR and supplemented with an audio voice-over describing the nutrition label). Within each condition, participants answered a series of questions regarding their understanding of the lasagne and yogurt nutrition label, which were presented according to a counterbalanced design. Participant level of engagement was also measured. For yogurt, results found that in comparison to ‘Original Packaging’, there was a significantly higher ease in understanding the nutrition label displayed using the ‘Visual AR’ tool (p=0.01), and was descriptively higher using ‘Visual and Audio AR’ (p=0.07). These effects were not observed for lasagne. For both lasagne and yogurt, the ‘Visual AR’ tool resulted in a more memorable testing experience compared to ‘Original Packaging’. Using the ‘Visual AR’ and the ‘Visual and Audio AR’ tool was considered a highly novel experience for both lasagne and yogurt (p<0.001). These results provide proof of concept for the development of an innovative AR tool to improve understanding of nutrition labels.