Downsizing by design – Investigating acceptance, choice and willingness to pay for portion control design concepts

•Two studies investigated packaging to downsize portions of items high in energy for children.•Parents responded positively to the five packaging concepts.•Parents werewilling to paymore for these new concepts than for their regular brand to support portion control.•Willingness to payand effectiveness depended on parent characteristics (health motivation vs price).•Packaging provides functional or narrative guidance for portion control and may help to limit intake of items high in sugar.