Table 1.

Study design and messages randomized to study participants

Experimental group	Message
Introduction message (all participants, n 494)	‘Imagine that you walk into a convenience store on a hot day. You are thirsty and looking to get something to drink. As you reach for the 16-ounce bottle of [favourite reported beverage] you notice that the price has gone up by 15 cents since the last time you bought it. This surprises you a little, but then you remember having recently heard (either on the radio, TV, Internet or newspaper) that prices of these beverages were increasing …’
Control (n 63)	‘… but the news item did not give a reason why the price was increasing’
Tax on SSB (n 62)	‘… as a result of a new tax on these beverages’
User fee (n 60)	‘… as a result of a new user fee on these beverages’
Reduce obesity (n 62)	‘… as a result of a new tax on these beverages which is part of a new government effort to reduce obesity in Minnesota’
Budget deficit (n 62)	‘… as a result of a new tax on these beverages which is intended to help the Minnesota state government address its budget deficit’
Offset oral health-care costs (n 61)	‘… as a result of a new tax on these beverages which is intended to offset the millions of dollars these beverages cost the Minnesota health-care system due to increased prevalence of oral health problems (cavities, etc.)’
Offset chronic health-care costs (n 62)	‘… as a result of a new tax on these beverages which is intended to offset the millions of dollars these beverages cost the Minnesota health-care system due to increased prevalence of health problems (heart disease, diabetes, etc.)’
Protecting children (n 62)	‘… as a result of a new tax on these beverages which is intended to protect children from the negative effects of these types of beverages’

SSB, sugar-sweetened beverage.