EUFIC’s lab on sweeteners offers insight into consumer perceptions and roadmaps for better health communication

Acknowledging the need for transparent, science-based communication about the risks and benefits of sweeteners, EUFIC hosted a Communication Lab on Sweeteners on September 23rd.

The webinar featured leading experts to discuss their latest research on sweeteners, their respective challenges and implications for health and nutrition. Stakeholder representatives were encouraged to ask questions, leading to an interactive dialogue on consumer perceptions and the role of education in addressing misconceptions about sweeteners.

Speakers:

Charo Hodgkins, University of Surrey: Public perceptions of sweeteners - the SWEET project

Panel discussion on best practices for communicating with the public: Dávid Szakos, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest; Lisa Heggie, European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO); Caomhán Logue, Ulster University; Frédéric Bayer, EUFIC; Laurent Oger, International Sweeteners Association (ISA)

Giorgia Zamariola, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): Developing a roadmap for evidence-based risk communication in the EU

Featuring the latest research from the SWEET Project, Chiaro Hodgkins sets the current state of consumer understanding, showcasing that despite their regulatory status as approved for use in foods, sweeteners are generally perceived as unsafe due to the negative framing of the risk and lack of contextualisation in the media.

Recognising the urgency on improving consumer understanding, Giorgia Zamariola walks us through EFSA’s latest project and demonstrates how tools, such as AI-based systems for misinformation detection and public consultation pilots, can be useful in improving evidence-based risk communication across the EU.

Through a panel discussion, our speakers had the opportunity to engage in an open and constructive dialogue offering the following insights:

• Public perception remains skewed toward negative views, often due to inconsistent messaging and a focus on risks rather than a balanced discussion of benefits.
• Experts agree that communication strategies must be adapted to specific audiences, encouraging engagement rather than passive information delivery.
• Collaboration between researchers, institutions, and stakeholders is essential to create unified messages, reduce confusion, and better inform the public.

We appreciate both our speakers and participants for attending and contributing invaluable observations. After analysing the results of the interactive survey, we will soon issue a set of communication recommendations co-created with the audience.