The potential of autonomous delivery services to increase fast-food consumption.

Abstract

Objective: Technological innovations in the online food delivery sector include the use of autonomous delivery vehicles. The aim of the present study was to investigate consumers' intentions to use these services once they are widely available and their motivations for using them to access unhealthy food.

Design: Online survey including a vignette describing a future world where autonomous food deliveries are in common use in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.

Setting: Australia.

Participants: 1078 Australians aged 18 years and older, nationally representative by sex, age and location (metropolitan v. non-metropolitan residence).

Results: Around half of the sample reported intending to use an autonomous food delivery service at least once per week for fast food (53 %) and/or healthy pre-prepared food (50 %). Almost two-thirds (60 %) intended using autonomous vehicle deliveries to receive groceries. Around one in five (17 %) anticipated an increase in their fast-food intake as a result of access to autonomous delivery services compared with one in two (46 %) expecting others' total fast-food intake to increase. The most common reason provided for using autonomous food deliveries was increased convenience. More frequent current fast-food ordering, higher socio-economic status, younger age and regional location were significantly associated with an anticipated increase in fast-food consumption.

Conclusions: The emergence of autonomous food delivery systems may bring both benefits and adverse consequences that in combination are likely to constitute a substantial regulatory challenge. Proactive efforts will be required to avoid negative public health nutrition outcomes of this transport evolution.