Digitalization and power shift in the food market

Abstract

This research explores how smartphone applications impact consumer empowerment in a market where companies have more power than consumers, and consumers distrust companies. We draw on Yuka, a scanner app that allows its 44 million users to access nutritional quality scores and other information on food products. We conducted a thematic text analysis of 1,651 user reviews and 117 media articles. Our results indicate that, in the food market, such apps (1) bring transparency to products, which facilitates better purchasing choices, (2) empower consumers, and (3) trigger a shift in power, forcing companies to improve the quality of their products to regain consumer trust. We discuss the implications for research, practice and policy in light of the increasing demand for healthy, safe food. This situation, where power shifts from traditional market players to new digital players and consumers, generating disruptions and emancipation, could become commonplace in futures of market society.