In Italy, a new tool developed by Rome’s La Sapienza University with support from Nestlé, enables food producers, growers, processors and marketeers to better understand how people feel about a particular product, culinary raw material or food group.
It maps out consumers' perception of the environmental and economic impact of the food or food product and the production process used to create it.
It scores food on its traceability and safety, its cost and innovation. It also shows what people think about the physical benefits of food - including the ease of digestion, as well as its cultural value and links to a particular place, tradition or occasion.
Already, three years in the making, the Food Reputation Map has collected and analysed the perceptions of almost 5,000 Italian consumers.
The University's Centre for Research in Environmental Psychology has also developed a pilot tool in English for use in other countries. Anyone can commission the university to carry out research using the tool.
