Increasing consumer trust and support for the food supply chain and for food companies

This consumer-focused project will work with consumers, food companies and other stakeholders (industry bodies, non-governmental organisations, regulatory authorities and policy makers, media) across 6 countries in Europe and Israel to co-create and implement selected measures undertaken by food companies, food industry and others to engender both greater consumer trust in food and greater support for food companies and other food chain actors. It will provide forums and a platform to allow consumers to voice their concerns and wishes regarding trust in the food they eat and in the companies and others involved in the provision of that food. These forums and platform will enable consumers and food industry representatives to directly debate those issues and to explore co-design of a series of initiatives for food companies to implement according to consumers' needs which will both increase their trust in food and their support for the companies and organisations involved. The project will make use of previous and current work on consumer trust within EIT Food (e.g. from TrustTracker®) and external to it and learn from food-related consumer conversations across social media. Lessons learnt will be communicated widely and successful initiatives (as assessed by consumers) will be publicized and rolled out by food companies and organisations more widely. Consumers will drive the process at each stage, from voicing concerns and co-design of initiatives to evaluation of success.