Council member and researcher work to change behaviour

Professor of Psychology Denise de Ridder assesses how people can be subtly persuaded (nudged) to make healthy choices. Utrecht council member for Public Health Victor Everhardt closely follows her research and, where possible, applies the results to improve the health of his city and residents. A conversation between two alumni.

Upon entering Utrecht's municipal offices, De Ridder points out that the stairs leading from Jaarbeursplein square to the main entrance are difficult to navigate due to the low, deep steps. The Utrecht council member agrees. 'They do look nice, though', De Ridder hastens to add, 'and I'll keep taking the stairs. It's a routine I try to internalise – always take the stairs.'

De Ridder and Everhardt have known each other for several years. They have met on multiple occasions to discuss ways of stimulating healthier lifestyles and changing unhealthy eating habits. Amongst other methods, De Ridder applies nudges to achieve these behavioural changes.

An approving nod

'We apply nudging to push people towards healthier choices. Ultimately, we want them to reach a point where healthy options seem entirely natural and familiar. We recently launched a research project in supermarkets. Every time a customer approaches the vegetable section, a screen lights up showing a face looking down at the fresh produce. When the customer picks up a product, the person on the screen nods approvingly. It may sound simple, and it is, but the strategy works in practice. People don't experience these nudges as patronising or condescending, and even tend to find them enjoyable and inviting. That's exactly what we're aiming for. We want to respect people's autonomy, while familiarising them with the idea of healthy choices.'

'You're basically surrounded by unhealthy options, from cheese snacks to deep fried meat.'

Earlier this year, the researcher and alderman attempted to persuade hungry travellers at Utrecht's Central Station to choose healthy snacks. 'There really isn't that much healthy food on offer at the station', De Ridder concludes.

'You're basically surrounded by unhealthy options, from cheese snacks to deep fried meat.' In order to provide some counterbalance, the psychologist and her research group set up a food car in front of the stairs on Jaarbeursplein square. Passengers were offered the option of several healthy pies for the price of 1.75 euros.

Closer to the action

De Ridder: 'We obviously did some research in advance to figure out what people might be interested in buying. In the end, we decided on two healthy pies: an apple pie and a savoury pie filled with ratatouille. Everyone agreed those would be healthy, tasty and affordable snacks. The Jaarbeursplein square also seemed like a suitable location: a great place to get a quick bite before taking the train. Ultimately, we didn't sell many. People just walked past our stand without buying anything.'

'So it wasn't the right location then?' Everhardt asks.

'We're still trying to figure out what went wrong, but that might very well be it. However, people who did buy the pies really liked them. So maybe we need to get even closer to the action...'

'What about the main station hall?' the alderman suggests.

'I can't just walk into the station and say: we're going to open a store that sells healthy pies. The municipality doesn't get to decide what the retail space is used for. Obviously, we could always invite Utrecht Central Station and NS (Dutch Railways) to discuss the options and find out whether they would be open to the idea. That's also part of what we do: facilitating, supporting and opening doors. We have a large network at our disposal, and we can employ it to get these kinds of things done. I think it could be an interesting dialogue.'

De Ridder likes the idea of meeting with NS. Ultimately, the UU professor hopes healthy snacks will become integrated in the existing range of options. 'That's the direction we should be taking. I'm not necessarily talking about our pies, but it would be good to have healthy alternatives. For example, you could sell them through automatic snack dispensers. It's not about replacing unhealthy foods – we don't want to ban deep-fried snacks. People wouldn't like that; they want freedom of choice. Still, a better balance between healthy and unhealthy options is definitely desirable, especially in places like train stations, where people eat on the go. It's an achievable goal, as the example of the Vegetarische Slager (Vegetarian Butcher) illustrates. Since its acquisition by Unilever, the company's products have been on display in supermarkets between the meat products.

'Alcohol-free beer went through the same stages', Everhardt adds. 'These days, there are numerous alcohol-free options. The TivoliVredenburg concert venue sells alcohol-free beer on tap, which would have been unthinkable just five years ago. It's now become a regular alternative to other beers, and isn't seen as a replacement. Most importantly, there's demand for the product, which is always the bottom line for any business. There has to be a potential for profit.'

Healthy fast food

As the council member points out, the successful modification of eating habits – especially amongst young people – also depends on another key factor. 'Young people expect products to be delivered straight to their doorstep. That leads to the question: what sort of products are meal delivery services selling? In many cases, the range of options is limited to fast food. The term has a negative connotation, which isn't necessarily justified – there is such a thing as healthy fast food.’

De Ridder: 'I agree. I think we should try to latch on to the popularity of fast food. We need to get past the notion that fast food is necessarily unhealthy.'

Everhardt: 'It's a process. Although it might be a while before we see scooters delivering vegetarian pies across Utrecht, you can tell things are changing. I have a 17-year-old son. Not that long ago, I practically had to force him to eat healthier foods. Kids don't have much patience when it comes to their meals. At some point, he discovered a trendy new fast food you can order from home: poké bowls, filled with raw fish, rice and vegetables. He loves it. It's fast food, but it's healthy. All of a sudden, my 17-year-old son is experimenting with rice and seaweed at home, all thanks to a healthy fast food. If we can make healthy eating accessible, we can get people to change their diets. I genuinely believe that.'

'Me too', De Ridder concurs. 'We need to offer people healthy options without pointing fingers or judging. Last but not least, healthy options need to taste good, so that people are inclined to make the right choice. It should come naturally, like taking the stairs to the municipal offices.'

Denise de Ridder (1959) is a Psychology alumnus. She obtained her doctorate in 1991 and was appointed professor eleven years later. De Ridder leads various research projects in the area of self-regulation, behavioural modification and nudging. She serves as director of the Self-Regulation Lab and as senior editor at Health Psychology Review, a leading psychology magazine. She also writes a monthly column on behaviour for the NRC Handelsblad newspaper.

Victor Everhardt (1968) is a Law and History alumnus. Amongst other positions, he served as a policy advisor at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and as chair of the Trimbos Institute Youth Centre. Everhard has represented the D66 political party as a council member for the municipality of Utrecht since 2010. From 7 November 2019 on, he serves as alderman for the municipality of Amsterdam. 

This interview appeared in alumni magazine Illuster.