Can transparency encourage healthy choices?

The University of Groningen and Wageningen University & Research have started a research project with almost all supermarkets in the Netherlands. The research 'Transparent Health & Sustainability' focuses on interventions to increase transparency and to support consumers in making healthy and sustainable product choices. Koert van Ittersum, Professor of Marketing & Consumer Welfare at the University of Groningen, explains: "Such interventions can include the effectiveness of food choice logos and shelf layouts based on the degree of health, or informing consumers about more sustainable alternatives by means of smart shopping trolleys. The project started on 1 September 2019 and will last four years.

The aim of the project

The aim of the study is to better understand what motivates consumers to make healthy and sustainable choices and how retailers can improve their ability to make those healthy and sustainable choices while shopping at the supermarket.

Unique

The uniqueness of this project is that all major supermarket organisations in the Netherlands (Albert Heijn, Aldi, Jumbo and Lidl) are involved in the project. Marc Jansen, director of CBL: "For us at CBL, it may be self-evident that supermarkets work together to tackle cross-company issues and topics. By also working together within a scientific research programme, the outcomes and learnings ultimately become stronger and more relevant to society. All supermarkets have an interest in healthy and resilient customers who can make conscious and well-informed choices from the extensive food supply. In this way, we are working towards a healthier and more sustainable Netherlands through greater transparency".

Image: ©PR Image Factory/Shutterstock.com