Lesson 10 - Learn healthy cooking and shopping behaviour - Theory

Products are specifically showcased to increase their visibility. This can be done in TV shows, movies, or on social media platforms.

Example

For example, the TV series “Stranger Things” features a lot of Coca-Cola, directly linking the brand to 1980s nostalgia and the series’ popular characters.

This strategy involves using terms like “natural,” “healthy,” or symbols like hearts and leaves on the packaging.

Example 

Granola bars that emphasize protein content on their packaging without actually having a high protein content. This suggests a health benefit to you as the focus is on the high protein content. These bars often have a high sugar content – of course not very healthy.

You’ve probably put something in the supermarket cart that you didn’t want – but the packaging just appealed to you, right? You’re not alone! Bright and colorful packaging should attract our attention and entice you to try out the products and take them with you.

Example

Breakfast cereals like “Froot Loops” rely on bright colors and playful shapes to arouse interest, especially in children, and to give the impression of fun while eating.

Well-known personalities or influencers are paid to feature products on their social media profiles. If a fitness influencer regularly shows off a particular protein bar and emphasizes how delicious and healthy it is, this can make followers want to consume the same product to follow suit.

Example

Brands like ESN or More Nutrition rely heavily on influencer marketing. On social platforms such as Instagram, TikTok or Facebook you can quickly find a whole range of men and women who advertise these brands on their channels.

Limited availability or time-limited special offers create pressure to purchase immediately.

Example

“Limited Edition” flavors of snacks or drinks that create hype around their uniqueness and increase demand – like the Cola Y300, which was developed together with artificial intelligence.

This strategy involves collaborating with well-known personalities, cartoon characters or superheroes to promote products. Through the positive perception of the personality or figure, this is transferred to the advertised product, especially among young target groups.

Example

An example of this is the collaboration between McDonald’s and popular film characters such as Minions or superheroes.

This attempts to create an emotional connection with consumers by telling stories surrounding the product. Storytelling makes it possible to associate a brand or product with certain values, experiences or lifestyle aspects. Through such stories, consumers can better identify and build a personal relationship with the product.

Example

Lindt chocolate advertising is well known across all generations. Advertising, especially at Christmas and Easter, tells a story about families celebrating holidays together and enjoying time together. We ourselves often know these sights well and feel connected to the product.

This strategy involves initiating challenges or contests on social media to generate viral attention. Consumer interaction with the product, whether through sharing content or entering contests, spreads the brand message quickly and effectively across social networks.

Example

An example of this is the “Hot Chip Challenge,” which asks people to try particularly spicy snacks and share their reactions. These challenges spread virally and draw attention to specific products or brands in the snack space.

There is not just one factor that influences what we eat and drink – and especially what we want to buy. Rather, there are various factors that can influence our decisions.

Maybe you’re wondering now – rightly so! – whether there is an objective way to identify the healthier alternative. And yes: they exist. The nutritional label!

Nutri-Score, nutritional table, pie charts – you can find out a lot about the food on the packaging. It is important not only to know and understand these labels and representations, but also to classify them correctly. This is the only way you can make an informed decision.

The nutritional value table is a mandatory label on packaged foods in the EU. This tabular representation provides detailed information about the energy content and amounts of the six main nutrients:

• Fat
• Saturated fatty acids
• carbohydrates
• Sugar
• Protein and
• Salt.

The information is given per 100 g or 100 ml and enables a direct comparison between different products. Some manufacturers supplement the mandatory information with voluntary information per serving.

Advantages

The nutritional table allows you to understand the nutritional composition of a product at a glance. It helps you make informed decisions and compare products based on their nutritional content.

Disadvantages

Without a certain basic knowledge (“How much fat per 100 g is too much?”, “How much energy should I eat per day?”), the nutritional tables are difficult to use in your own case.

The Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) is an additional labeling method that is carried out voluntarily on foods. The information refers to reference amounts for the daily intake of energy and selected nutrients. They can be given both per 100 g/ml and per portion and serve as orientation within the daily diet.

Advantages

The GDA labeling offers you practical guidance on how much energy and certain nutrients a food provides in the context of daily needs. This supports a conscious diet in accordance with general nutritional recommendations.

Disadvantages

The labeling requires an additional calorie count per 100 g/ml when stated per serving.

The Nutri-Score is another nutritional labeling system that is placed on the front of food packaging. This evaluation is done using the letters A to E, which are colored from green to red. The Nutri-Score is based on an algorithm that takes different nutrients and components of the food into account. Many unhealthy components result in a red Nutri-Score, while many healthy components result in a green one.

In addition, the Nutri-Score always compares with other products in the same category: a pizza with a spelled base, low-fat cheese and lots of fresh vegetables can achieve a green score, while a conventional ready-made pizza can achieve a red score.

Advantages

The Nutri-Score offers a simple way to evaluate the health quality of a food at a glance. The color coding makes classification easier and allows you to quickly select healthier options.

Disadvantages

Although the Nutri-Score provides helpful guidance, it is important to note that it cannot cover all aspects of a food’s health effects. It does not replace the detailed nutritional table. Without further information, consumers would think that they are eating healthily if they only eat foods with a Nutri-Score A. Of course that’s not true (because then we’d all happily eat vegetable pizza every day). In the same way, healthy foods (olive oil) are also rated with worse scores. Without background knowledge of healthy eating, the score is not very helpful.

Nutritional and health claims are voluntary information that manufacturers may make based on scientific findings, e.g. the addition of “rich in protein” or “source of fiber”. This information quickly shows the nutritional properties of a product. They can include both nutritional values ​​and positive health effects.

Advantages

This information allows you to evaluate the food more comprehensively and provides additional information about its potential health benefits. This encourages more conscious choices while shopping.

Disadvantages

Companies are only allowed to make nutritional and health-related claims if it has been scientifically proven and the right amount is in the food.

But food manufacturers often work around these requirements: products for whose main ingredient the health claim cannot be used are now supplemented with substances for which the desired claim is permitted. A yogurt with ‘probiotic’ bacteria, which can no longer be advertised as ‘strengthening the immune system’, is simply enriched with vitamin C and can once again refer to the immune system – in conjunction with this vitamin.