Trust in food – Would you like some facts with that?
March 16, 2026
Seen the latest fad diet? Following a new food guru?
Confused about what to eat? You’re not alone. Nutritional
advice is the biggest source of misinformation online. For
consumers, it’s a mess of conflicting fads and facts. For
producers, it’s walking a minefield of science and marketing
hype. How can Kiwi producers build trust in a world of
nutritional noise?
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Trust in food information is at all-time low; diet and nutrition advice is the largest category of misinformation on social media.
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Disagreements among experts and changing ‘official’ advice creates uncertainty.
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Greenwashing and overclaims by manufacturers add to confusion.
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Recent updates to the US food guidelines suggest an opportunity for ‘real food’ marketing and story-telling.
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New Zealand can build on its reputation for safety and integrity with a renewed determination to make credible, evidence-based nutritional and sustainability claims.
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Information and expertise are readily available but the lack of curiosity and anti-intellectual ‘can do’ attitude holds us back.
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Real food requires real science and real expenditure.


