From TikTok and magazine articles to books and celebrity interviews, food noise is fast becoming one of the hottest ideas being debated in food.
Google Trends data suggests UK searches for ‘food noise’ have roughly doubled over the past 12 months. And Dr Jack Mosley, son of the late Michael Mosley, has released an entire book dedicated to the concept.
But what exactly is food noise, why is it in the spotlight right now and what are the implications for food and drink brands?
In short, food noise refers to unwanted, intrusive thoughts about food. In his book, Mosley describes it as “internal chatter” about food, while others have characterised it as “an insatiable itch”. People who suffer from food noise think about food far more often than is normal, and regardless of how hungry they are, which means they often struggle to stick to a healthy diet.
It’s not a new concept – researchers have studied similar phenomena like ‘food-related intrusive thoughts’ (FRITs) and ‘hedonic hunger’ for some time – but it’s recently hit the mainstream because of the rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.
In addition to suppressing people’s appetite, it appears these drugs may also reduce and even eliminate food noise. Online patient forums and discussion groups are full of posts from GLP-1 users who say they never realised they suffered from food noise but suddenly feel liberated.
Writing on the r/mounjarouk forum on Reddit, one user says: “It wasn’t until I took [Mounjaro] and it started to take effect that I realised what food noise was. The persistent thoughts and constant reaching for food had been there for most of my life, eating for the sake of it. I feel calmer now – the nagging thoughts about when and what my next meal will be have gone.”
No clear scientific or clinical definition of food noise currently exists, so it’s hard to gauge how widespread a problem it may be. But the term has clearly hit a nerve and articulates an experience many relate to. In a US survey conducted by Weight Watchers, 67% of people said they wish they didn’t think about food as often as they do.
Far-reaching consequences for brands
For food and drink brands, there are several possible implications. If people on weight loss drugs experience less food noise and are therefore less impulsive around food, sales could take a hit, especially in impulse categories. Kantar’s June update on the grocery market already hints at this, with chocolates, crisps and biscuits highlighted as categories that could see an impact.
Having said that, it’s hard to untangle this from these drugs’ more general effects. Are people on GLP-1 medication buying less because they experience less food noise or simply because their appetite has been suppressed?
What’s arguably more interesting is the potential impact of the food noise conversation on our wider food culture.
One possibility is that ‘craving’ a particular food could be redefined as a wholly negative experience. Some experts have pointed out that food noise would have been described as ‘cravings’ in the past; Mosley’s book promises to help people ‘silence’ their cravings.
The implications for food marketing and advertising could be far-reaching. As people become more aware of food noise, will messaging that describes products as ‘irresistible’ or ‘craveable’ be seen to glamorise compulsive or uncontrolled eating? Will the idea of inducing overwhelming cravings in people be seen as irresponsible?
Food noise also intersects with existing debates about ultra-processing and restrictions on foods high in fat, sugar and salt, with UPFs and HFSS products often seen as more likely to cause food noise than minimally processed foods.
And while some people seem to experience food noise more strongly than others, experts say it isn’t purely down to individual biology or psychology. Our food environment and diet culture also contribute to food noise, which could bring increased scrutiny of how brands market their products.
On the flipside, there could be new opportunities for brands that make nutrient-dense foods. GLP-1 drugs aren’t the only way to ‘silence’ food noise. Eating a diet rich in protein, fibre and other nutrients is also said to help turn down the volume on intrusive food-related thoughts. Health-focused brands that emphasise controllable enjoyment could stand to benefit.
All of which is to say, food noise is a concept worth having on your radar. Yes, it’s been propelled into the spotlight by the emergence of GLP-1 drugs, which remain a relatively niche concern for now. But the longer-term impact on how we think about appetite, desire and control around food could go far beyond that.
Spotting interesting trends and finding noteworthy food facts and figures is a big part of what we do at Ceres. Check out our recent Food For Thought, which explores 10 recent articles, reports and long reads that made us stop and think.
