Promoting healthy food propositions through online food delivery applications: an information theory perspective

Purpose Thisstudy examines why online food delivery applications, despite growing awareness of chronic obesity and lifestyle-related health risks, still tend to make unhealthy food easier to discover and select than healthy options. It aims to identify the barriers consumers encounter when searching, locating and ordering healthy food on these platforms, and to explain how digital information cues can be strengthened to support healthier choices. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative, inductive research design using responses collected across multiple countries. Data were received from 31 respondents to eight open-ended questions. The volume and depth of responses achieved thematic saturation, as no substantially new insights emerged in later stages of review. Thematic analysis was conducted using a structured coding process that progressed through open coding to capture participant expressions, axial coding to identify relationships among concepts and aggregate coding to develop higher-level dimensions explaining behavior patterns. Findings Results indicate that healthy options are often disadvantaged, not due to consumer resistance but because of weak information cues and platform design features. Barriers include inconsistent labeling, limited nutritional transparency at decision points, ineffective filtering mechanisms and menu structures that reduce visibility of healthy items. Promotional emphasis and visual prominence of indulgent foods further shift attention away from healthier alternatives, increasing cognitive effort and reducing selection likelihood. Originality/value The study provides a process-oriented understanding of healthy food choice formation within digital ordering environments and offers practical insights for redesigning information presentation to enhance the discovery and accessibility of healthier options.