Dealing with consumer uncertainty

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XX

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Karin Bergmann

   Pages 1-4

3. Uncertainty and Diet in Industrial Society

   • Karin Bergmann

   Pages 5-55

4. Diet-Related Uncertainty: Empirical Results

   • Karin Bergmann

   Pages 57-155

5. Recommendations for the Organisation of Target Group Work within the Framework of Business Information Policy

   • Karin Bergmann

   Pages 157-179

6. Summary and Outlook

   • Karin Bergmann

   Pages 181-183

7. Back Matter

   Pages 185-219

   PDF

My studies on the "uncertain consumer" began with a research project c- ducted by the Dr. Rainer Wild-Stiftung - Foundation for healthy nutrition - on the negative image of processed food. Ever since then I have been asked whether or not growing consumer uncertainty is linked to information po- cies of the food sector and if so, how. Intensive three-year research showed that industrial methods of food production are predestined to result in wayward fears and worry over its healthiness. This is due to the fact that during the process of industrialisation, we gradually passed responsibility for the quality of food into the producers' hands. This, in turn, has resulted in information gaps that we, as the addressees of diverse, often overwhelming and contrad- tory information supplied by varying sources, feel today. We exchanged the daily search for food for the daily search for information long ago. Con- quently, a practical concept for public relations stands at the end of my - search into the uncertain consumer. It accounts for uncertainty regarding processed food as a point of reference for public relations targeted towards various groups. Public relations oriented towards the future calls for the sharing of expert information with all interested consumers. It is the goal of businesses to actively build up trust among the consumers in order to be prepared for new causes for uncertainty appearing periodically. To this day the issue of consumer uncertainty has not lost its topicality.

• Corporate Identity
• Public Relations
• Publicity
• communication
• consumer safety
• food industry
• food safety
• nutrition

• Food Relations, München, Germany

  Karin Bergmann

Policies and ethics