INFOODMATION: Understanding media’s role in consumer’s food behaviour

Mainstream media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.), along with social media and various forms of marketing (both direct and indirect), significantly impact consumers’ food choices.

In today’s highly connected world, people of all ages, including children, are exposed to hours of food and beverage marketing and media content each day. This content, often produced by private companies for commercial aims or by governments and civil organizations for different purposes, heavily shapes consumers' food and drink choices, meal preparation, dietary habits, and lifestyle. Furthermore, much of this information lacks a solid factual basis, leading to misinformation that can hinder consumers’ dietary understanding and behaviours.

INFOODMATION aims to shed light and enhance understanding of how mainstream media, social media, and marketing (both direct and indirect) influence food consumption habits, with a focus on health and sustainability.

Why is it important? By fostering a better understanding of how media influences consumers' food and drink choices, INFOODMATION aims to identify and promote best practices, responsible business strategies, and policy recommendations. In the long term, these outcomes are intended to support the development of an innovative governance model that enhances how food information is communicated to consumers.

To achieve its goals, the project will adopt a three-step approach, engaging stakeholders at every stage:

1. Mapping: The first step involves identifying the communication strategies, tools, channels, and messages used by the three key INFOODMATION actors: governments, the private sector, and civil society.
2. Assessment: The second step is to evaluate how these communications impact consumers’ food and drink attitudes, knowledge, and choices, as well as their perceived norms, meal preparation practices, overall diet, and lifestyle.
3. Translation to Action: Insights from this assessment will be converted into best practices, responsible business strategies, and policy recommendations. Adoption of these recommendations by key actors and other stakeholders within food systems will be supported by the creation of the INFOODMATION Knowledge Hub and associated capacity-building activities.

INFOODMATION will utilize a communication effects model to analyse how different consumer segments—including those with low media literacy and persuasion awareness, such as children, adolescents, and individuals of lower socioeconomic status—interpret food information and misinformation, and how this impacts behaviours, perceptions, and attitudes. Stakeholders' insights and expertise will be integrated throughout the project, ensuring co-created results that generate long-term impacts and deliver Food2030 co-benefits.

EUFIC's role

EUFIC coordinates INFOODMATION and is also responsible for defining and validating the best practices and policy recommendations.