When Cognitive Sciences Meet Real Life: Decoding the Semiotic Cocktail of Food Labels from a Fairness Perspective

Viktor Smith, Henrik Selsøe Sørensen, Niina Nissilä, Serguey Shelov

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    Consumers in general pay little attention to food labels. The study of expert-to-layperson communication related to food labels integrates many aspects of what cognitive sciences are about: Knowledge modelling and knowledge transfer, termhood and precision as well as fuzziness, interaction between text, pictures, colours and sensory qualities of a package, expectations and attention. All of this is present on a very limited space in a concentrated form. A consumer who is to make an informed choice of a food product risks being misled by the bombardment with elements of information which interact with his/her existing knowledge, expectations and buying motivations. A cross-disciplinary Danish research project provides a new, shared frame of reference for food manufacturers, authorities, and consumer organisations for assessing in-store food-to-consumer communication from a fairness perspective. The aim is to reduce the misleading hazards in food labelling and suggest how to improve food label communication.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalTerminology science and research - Journal of the International Institute of Terminology Research
    Volume23
    Pages (from-to)5-36
    ISSN1017-382X
    Publication statusPublished - 2012
    EventIITF COLLOQUIUM: Language Policy and LSP Planning - Perm State University, Perm, Russian Federation
    Duration: 22 Aug 201123 Aug 2011

    Conference

    ConferenceIITF COLLOQUIUM
    LocationPerm State University
    Country/TerritoryRussian Federation
    CityPerm
    Period22/08/201123/08/2011

    Cite this