Mediating sustainable food: a synthesis of research on food, media and environmental sustainability

Purpose This article aimed to identify the intersection of prior studies on food, media and environmental sustainability. By synthesising these fields, we aim to enhance the understanding of the media’s role within food consumption cultures that are increasingly attentive to environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was conducted by searching six databases: ABI/INFORM Collection, Business Source Premier, Web of Science, Scopus, Academic Search Premier and Research Library. The database search was supplemented by a search in selected journals that were recurrent outlets of research within the overlapping fields of food, media and environmental sustainability. Findings This review identified three perspectives that allowed us to compare the approaches to media in studies of sustainable food consumption across the following thematic areas: (1) media representations of food sustainability, (2) consumer and media reception perspectives on sustainable food and (3) professional actors’ use of media to promote food sustainability. Findings revealed that the meaning of media is often assumed, and the concept of sustainability is not explicitly discussed in relation to media. Research limitations/implications This article provides directions for future research by proposing a list of areas that could advance the research on media and sustainable food across various research disciplines. Originality/value This is the first review to systematically map the intersection among food, media and environmental sustainability, arguing that it is imperative to understand the transition towards sustainable food consumption as a mediated field.