Misinformation in F&B: How industry is fighting back

Misinformation is rife in food and beverage, with inaccurate claims about ingredients, products and production processes, made every single day. And not only can these claims be damaging to the industry, they can also be dangerous to consumers.

“Misinformation within this sector is pervasive, with significant consequences for public health and market dynamics,” says Aditi Pangotra, research analyst in policy and advocacy for CyberPeace.

Furthermore, they’re causing genuine fears amongst consumers.

“These claims aren’t just frustrating, they are alarming for the public,” says Lucy Hopkins-Parkinson, vice president of communications for plant-based milk brand, Oatly.

In fact, such is the scale of the problem, brands are now being advised to assemble a crisis team ready to handle misinformation if and when it arises.

“Every organisation should have a robust crisis communications plan in place,” says Simon Reynolds, content marketing manager for Cision.

So, what is the industry doing to fight back against misinformation and what more can be done to stop the spread?

How is misinformation spread in the food and beverage industry?

“Misinformation starts with disinformation,” says Robbie Lockie, CEO of The Freedom Food Alliance.

Disinformation refers to false or inaccurate information, which is intentionally spread, with the purpose of deceiving or manipulating others. However, once this disinformation spreads and becomes misinformation, the intention is far less malevolent though the results can be equally damaging.

The problem faced by food and beverage is that the truth is struggling to be heard, particularly as the misinformation is often far more dramatic and so gains attention far quicker.

“Rage bait drives engagement with clicks, comments and shares,” says The Freedom Food Alliance’s Lockie.

This leads to the fast spread of misinformation across the globe.

“Conflicting news spreads six times faster,” says Rhiannon Lambert, nutritionist and founder of Rhitrition Clinic.

But the problem doesn’t just lie in fighting back against misinformation. There’s also the simple issue of consumers not recognising certain ingredients and becoming concerned about what they are and their potential health impacts.

“A product might have added vitamin C, that might be listed as ascorbic acid, which is the chemical name, and that causes confusion,” says Kaitlin Colucci, founder of The Mission Dietitian.

So, what is the industry doing to fight back against misinformation?

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What is the industry doing to fight back against misinformation?

Education education education.

There’s no doubt that this is the solution to the barrage of misinformation faced by food and beverage.

“Let’s get education out there, because education is power,” says Rhitrition Clinic’s Lambert.

But in order to be heard, the industry needs to be as loud as the voices spreading the misinformation. Easier said than done.

“As an industry we’ve probably been a little bit quiet,” says Caroline Orfila Jenkins, vice president of science and technology at Oatly. “The industry is very tightly regulated about what it can say.”

So how is the industry getting its message out there?

“We’re talking to, and we want to talk more to, journalists and press to help us get our message across,” says Orfila Jenkins.

What’s more the scale of the problem is increasingly encouraging brands to stand their ground.

“We’re brave and we’re standing up for ourselves as a sector,” says Orfila Jenkins. “We’re trying to be very transparent, and we’re trying to demystify what our production processes are.”

In fact, Oatly has gone so far as to produce a book to help debunk erroneous claims surrounding plant-based milks.

“It’s been independently verified and scientifically researched,” says Oatly’s Hopkins-Parkinson. “It’s an antidote to the unverified and often unqualified claims we see on social media.”

But more needs to be done as the problem continues to grow.

Brands can no longer rely on social media, or even some major media outlets to fact check stories related to the industry, so it’s up to the industry to become the fact checkers.

“Brands that are serious about inoculating themselves from the spillover effects of misinformation and rebuilding brand trust share similar practices,” says Alan Morantz, associate professor of marketing at Smith School of Business. “They are adept at using tools such as blacklists of fake news sites, they contract with ethical digital ad agencies, and they devote resources to monitoring fake news in real time.”

And brands are also considering working together to combat the issue.

“We need to have an open discussion in the industry,” says Oatly’s Orfila Jenkins.

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