Information about the Aspen Ideas Festival is here. I am scheduled for a session, The American Wellness Paradox, currently scheduled from 11:00-11:50 a.m., at the East Lawn Tent. This will be a discussion with senior HHS policy advisor, Calley Means. Here’s the blurb on it: “Americans are spending more than ever on healthcare, supplements, wellness trends, and “clean eating,” yet rates of chronic disease and metabolic illness continue to climb. As skepticism fuels the rise of movements like MAHA, debates over what Americans should eat have become deeply cultural, political, and economic. Two influential voices with sharply different perspectives on nutrition and food science explore how food systems, farming practices, consumer culture, and the wellness industry collided to create one of the defining public health debates of our time.”
Does the public trust the food industry? Not so much.
It turns out, the public doesn’t trust the food industry much.
Food industry trust in the dumps, but things are looking up: Consumer trust in the food industry is at dire levels. But there are modest reasons for positivity. What can the industry do to build on dwindling trust?… Read more
Why not?
This is affecting brand loyalty. For this, price is also an issue.
Brand loyalty is declining, but the death knell isn’t ringing yet: The fight between branded and private label has never been so intense, yet it appears the former is losing significant ground. So what’s going on?… Read more
And, Americans don’t trust food and nutrition science either, especially if it comes from food industry scientists.
My advice?
If the food industry wants trust from the public, it should behave in a trustworthy manner.
As long as food companies put profits first, they are at high risk of compromising ethics, integrity, and trust.
The investment system would do better on trust if it valued social commitments.
This is an old story, but one worth retelling. See this, for example.
