Are Australian Food Companies Using Nature Imagery as a Marketing Strategy? A Content Analysis

Nienke de Vlieger (), Marc T. P. Adam, Pierre-Henry Nicolay, Jessica Piper, Simone Dohle, Clare E. Collins and Tamara Bucher
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Nienke de Vlieger: School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, 10 Chittaway Road, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia
Marc T. P. Adam: Food and Nutrition Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Lot 1 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
Pierre-Henry Nicolay: School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, 10 Chittaway Road, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia
Jessica Piper: School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, 10 Chittaway Road, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia
Simone Dohle: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
Clare E. Collins: Food and Nutrition Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Lot 1 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
Tamara Bucher: School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, 10 Chittaway Road, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-16

Abstract: Emerging evidence suggests that nature imagery can affect consumer food choices. However, little is known about whether and, if so, how food companies use nature imagery as a means to appeal to consumers’ environmental concerns as a marketing strategy. The current study aims to explore this matter for websites of Australian food companies. We extracted images from 45 Australian food company websites and coded for (1) nature type, (2) restorative effect, (3) level of cultivation and human interference, and (4) processing level (only for images with food present). All included food companies had a separate webpage dedicated to sustainability, and most nature images were located there. Sustainability pages had more images of ‘pure nature’ (i.e., no cultivation or human interference and high in restorative effects) and more ‘urban’ images compared to the main pages. Most food in the images was unprocessed, while only one image featured both nature and food. Australian food companies are commonly using images of nature on their sustainability webpages. The images might be used as a marketing strategy to connect with consumers’ environmental concerns as a strategy to build trust and affinity with customers. However, companies currently do not combine nature imagery and their food products in one image on their websites.

Keywords: nature images; food choice; online; webpages; sustainability; consumers; green marketing; food companies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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