Work Package 2 (WP2) of the TEALHELIX project has been successfully completed. WP2 plays a central role in the project by systematically examining how external influences – socio-cultural factors, media, marketing, and sustainability labelling – shape consumer understanding, trust, and use of sustainability information, particularly in food systems.
The work package was led by White Research, with individual tasks also led by University of Macedonia, White Research, Zenith, and University of St. Gallen, and implemented through close collaboration across the TEALHELIX consortium.
WP2 Activities and Tasks
This WP combined four complementary tasks to examine how external environments influence consumer understanding and use of sustainability information. The work included mapping and analysing existing sustainability labelling approaches and external drivers, conducting a large-scale consumer survey across 11 EU countries, assessing sustainability communication in food advertising and media environments, and analysing real-world consumer behaviour in online media using large-scale data scraping and machine learning techniques. Together, these activities provided an integrated view of how labelling, socio-cultural factors, media, marketing, and digital environments shape sustainability-related perceptions and behaviours.
Key Insights from WP2
Building on this integrated analytical approach, WP2 generated a robust evidence base on the external influences shaping sustainability communication and consumer behaviour:
- Fragmentation limits labelling effectiveness: Sustainability labelling in Europe remains fragmented and complex, reducing consumer comprehension and trust. Limited standardisation and design complexity contribute to cognitive overload, particularly among less advantaged consumers.
- Consumer engagement reflects combined drivers: Engagement with sustainability labels and willingness to pay a premium depend on specific combinations of personality traits, values, socio-economic conditions, and cultural context. While younger and more educated consumers are generally more receptive, affordability and trust remain major constraints.
- Sustainability is central to food marketing: Sustainability has become a core element of food advertising, with varying levels of maturity across markets. Credible claims, transparency, local relevance, and a balanced mix of traditional and digital channels are key to effective communication.
- Online engagement varies by topic and platform: Environmental and animal welfare content attracts higher engagement, whereas affordability and workers’ conditions are linked to more negative sentiment. Platform-specific dynamics, timing, and visual features strongly shape engagement.
Looking Ahead
By combining insights from labelling research, consumer surveys, media analysis, and online behavioural data, WP2 provides a critical foundation for the other phases of TEALHELIX. These results directly inform the design, testing, and implementation of personalised, inclusive, and trustworthy sustainability labelling solutions, supporting the project’s broader objective of empowering all consumers, especially those most at risk of exclusion, to make more sustainable food choices.