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What Behavioural Science and Risk Communication Tell Us about the Future of Food

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2020

Jack BOBO
Jack BOBO*
Affiliation:
Chief Executive Officer at Futurity; email: jack@futurityfood.com.
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Abstract

Evolving consumer tastes and competing food trends have made the modern foodscape ever more complex for food and beverage companies to navigate. Not only must food companies deliver products that are safe to consume, but they must also be wary of consumer perceptions of risk, which can undermine new foods and established brands. Risk communication refers to the collection and analysis of real-time information through social listening and other avenues to provide advice to organisations and individuals facing threats to their economic or social well-being. Companies use a range of tools in this area, including polling and social media monitoring, in addition to social listening; however, these tools often fail to get at the sentiments that underlie the concerns identified. Behavioural science is particularly relevant to companies working in controversial sectors to anticipate issues and to respond before they become problems. For this reason, companies are establishing behavioural science teams in order to improve strategic decision-making and enhance the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

Type
Reports
Information
European Journal of Risk Regulation , Volume 12 , Special Issue 1: Special Issue on COVID-19 and Soft Law , March 2021 , pp. 245 - 253
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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17 ibid.

18 ibid.

19 Slovic, supra, note 13.