Who is responsible for fixing the food system? A framing analysis of media reactions to the UK's National Food Strategy

Summary

This mixed-methods study examines how British media framed debates around the National Food Strategy and responsibility for food system reform. Through framing analysis of traditional media and sentiment analysis of Twitter data, the authors demonstrate that media coverage relied heavily on 'culture wars' framing to assign responsibility to government, public, or industry, whilst depicting dietary recommendations as threats to individual liberty rather than necessary structural reforms. The findings suggest that media alignment with free market economic thinking undermines policy momentum for government-led intervention to address the UK's food system failures.

Regional applicability

This study is directly applicable to United Kingdom food policy contexts, as it analyses the British media response to the government's National Food Strategy. The findings are immediately relevant to understanding media influence on food systems reform narratives and policy implementation in the UK.

Key measures

Frames used in media coverage (culture war tropes, free choice vs. government action, industry self-regulation); sentiment analysis of Twitter reactions; representation of public voices in traditional media

Outcomes reported

The study identified how traditional media framing shaped perceptions of responsibility for fixing the UK food system through culture war narratives, and compared this with sentiment analysis of public Twitter reactions to National Food Strategy recommendations.

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