Five practical actions to help brands counteract nutrition misinformation, and build credibility with their important audiences
Nutrition misinformation is now part of the UK’s everyday food and nutrition culture. It lives and thrives in TikTok videos, supermarket aisles, podcasts, WhatsApp groups, “what I eat in a day” reels, and headlines that trade accuracy for clicks. And while nutrition and food topics dominate British media, this constant visibility hasn’t brought clarity. A recent national survey found that eight in ten people struggle to distinguish fact from fiction about food, highlighting just how disorientating the landscape has become.
This uncertainty has an impact, because it shapes how people navigate increasingly complex and expensive food choices. The UK faces rising diet‑related illness, widening health inequalities and sustained pressure on household budgets. Nutrition misinformation is a factor in a mix of multiple causes, one that can shape attitudes, behaviours and trust.
What has changed is not just the volume of information, but the way it spreads. Digital platforms reward content that engages, not content that informs. Studies show that nutrition misinformation spreads particularly fast on social media, where uncredentialed influencers dominate conversation and often outperform trained experts. A 2025 analysis of 500 posts found that TikTok hosts the highest proportion of completely inaccurate nutrition posts (10.8%), especially around weight loss, with these posts receiving more engagement than accurate content.
In this environment, misinformation is rarely outlandish; it is usually subtle, emotionally appealing, and aligned with identity. Research shows that people often form “food‑based attachments,” making them more receptive to dietary narratives that align with beliefs — from keto evangelism to anti‑seed‑oil rhetoric. And with trust in official sources in decline, misinformation only spreads faster. The British Journal of Nursing warns that the rapid dissemination of unqualified online advice erodes public trust in evidence‑based nutrition science, undermining the work of health professionals.
So while the UK has credible institutions — the NHS, the British Dietetic Association, and public health agencies — their advice competes against a flood of faster, slicker, and emotive content. A 2025 scoping review notes that public‑facing nutrition communication often fails to reach people where they are, leaving space for confusion to thrive. And for lower‑income or lower‑literacy groups, the barriers are even higher. Weak digital and health literacy make people more susceptible to persuasive misinformation, particularly when unregulated platforms offer the easiest route to information.
Against this backdrop, brands play a far bigger role than they might realise. They are often the most visible communicators in people’s daily food journeys — on shelves, in social feeds, in recipe content, and on packaging. And while brands cannot solve nutrition misinformation alone, they can help reduce its spread, create clarity and strengthen public trust rather than erode it.
But doing so requires more than “raising awareness” or launching another educational campaign mixed with promotional copy. It requires discipline, strategic vision, and communication that respects the lived realities of consumers.
Below are five credible, practical, actions brands can take — as part of a responsible, long‑game communication strategy to build credibility and authority with their important audiences, be it healthcare professionals or the wider public.
1. Believe in your product — and never over‑claim
In a world saturated with contested nutrition advice, the most powerful way for a brand to cut through is to stay firmly within the lines of evidence. Consumers can smell exaggeration instantly, and over‑claiming is one of the fastest pathways to mistrust.
If the science is still emerging, say so. If the benefit applies only in certain conditions, state them. Precision is not a barrier to persuasion — it is a foundation for long‑term credibility.
The brands that thrive in the next decade will be the ones willing to trade short‑term hype for sustained trust.
2. Keep education and promotion separate — visibly and structurally
When a brand tries to educate while simultaneously selling, the educational message collapses under the weight of perceived bias. In a landscape already shaped by nutrition misinformation, audiences read mixed motives as a warning sign.
Brands should maintain clear, structural separation between promotional communications and educational content:
- Education should be led (or co‑led) by experts, not marketing teams.
- It should sit in dedicated channels where the primary purpose is to inform, not convert.
- It should avoid persuasive style, and instead favour balance, clarity, and genuine usefulness.
The reward for this separation is simple: people begin to believe what you say.
3. Work with partners who strengthen credibility — not just reach
Partnerships shouldn’t be driven by audience size alone. In nutrition, the wrong partner can undo years of trust‑building. Brands should work with:
- Nutrition professionals with real credentials
- Academic bodies,
- Public health organisations, and
- Community‑based groups focused on health equity.
These partners bring more than authority; they bring discipline. They challenge assumptions, help prevent drift into misinformation territory, and keep communication grounded in the lived experiences of those who rely on it.
When a brand aligns with the right partners, the public feels the difference.
4. Make transparency a core brand behaviour, not a marketing message
Transparency is sometimes used as a slogan, but if we are serious about fighting nutrition misinformation, it needs to be a practice, including:
- Being explicit about ingredient sourcing, processing, and nutritional intent.
- Explaining how claims were validated.
- Providing context that helps consumers understand the product’s place in a balanced diet.
- Sharing limitations as openly as benefits.
The aim is not to tell people what to do, but to give them tools to make decisions that feel informed and personal. Transparency helps against misinformation by teaching consumers to ask better questions.
5. Really listen to your consumers — not just your analytics
Nutrition misinformation flourishes in the gaps between what people need and what they feel they’re getting. Brands can close these gaps by listening actively:
- What are people confused about?
- Where do they feel overwhelmed?
- Which claims make them sceptical?
- What real‑world pressures shape their choices?
Traditional analytics won’t reveal this because listening requires qualitative conversations, real engagement, and a willingness to revise assumptions based on what people actually say, not what marketers wish they said.
A Collective Responsibility — and a Communication Opportunity
Nutrition misinformation didn’t emerge from a single source, and it won’t be solved by one. But brands can play a meaningful part in alleviating the problem, helping to create a healthier information environment where evidence isn’t drowned out by noise.
Photograph by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
