Technology-Enabled Nutrition Information and Restaurant Consumers' Purchase Motivation: Implications for Digital Menu Labelling in Nigeria

The increasing use of digital technologies in hospitality is creating new opportunities for restaurants to provide consumers with accessible and timely nutritional information at the point of food selection. This study examines the relationship between restaurant menu nutrition labelling and consumers’ purchase motivation, while extending the discussion to technology-enabled nutrition information and digital menu labelling. The study draws on survey evidence from 120 usable responses obtained from restaurant consumers and other respondents in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Data were analysed using frequencies, percentages and mean scores. The findings indicate positive perceptions of the role of nutrition labelling in consumer decision-making. Health motivation recorded a mean score of 3.83; nutrition labelling as a motivation to purchase restaurant food recorded 4.11; avoidance of unhealthy foods recorded 3.88; and limiting calories, fats, sugars and sodium recorded 4.03. These results suggest that nutrition information can contribute to consumers’ motivation to make health-oriented restaurant choices. Recent literature further indicates that the effectiveness of menu labelling depends partly on how information is presented, interpreted and accessed, with emerging evidence supporting greater attention to online and digitally mediated food environments. The article therefore proposes technology-enabled nutrition labelling through digital menus, QR-linked nutritional information and other accessible digital interfaces as an opportunity for Nigerian restaurants. However, these technological applications are presented as implications and future directions rather than variables empirically tested in the present dataset.