Are Nudges Suitable to Combat Health Inequalities? The Efficacy of Default Nudges in People With Lower Versus Higher Socio-Economic Position.

Nudging is assumed to be particularly effective among lower socio-economic position (SEP) subpopulations and thus to have the potential of combating health disparities. However, empirical evidence for this proposition is scarce. In two studies, we examined the efficacy of a default nudge in stimulating healthy food choices and whether this effect is moderated by SEP. In both experiments, a default nudge (versus a no-nudge control condition) was applied in a hypothetical online supermarket among UK participants with lower and higher SEP. Study 2 involved a more realistic supermarket setting by manipulating the presence of price information. SEP-indicators and related SEP-variables were measured. Across both studies, the default nudge was efficacious in stimulating healthy choices. This effect was not consistently moderated by SEP, with the effect being present among lower and higher SEP groups. Study 2 demonstrates that these effects are not impacted by the presence of price information. We conclude that default nudges are also efficacious among lower SEP populations, even when processing additional price information, but that this technique does not combat health inequalities. Future nudging studies in real-life settings, where financial factors matter, are needed to learn whether default nudges can actually benefit lower (versus higher) SEP groups.