Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Global food systems today are causing problems for both human and planetary health. To address these challenges, the EAT-Lancet Commission has presented extensive scientific reports on the impacts of food systems and food system transformations that will benefit both humans and the planet. The first report (2019) received extensive media attention and was also met with resistance, especially from meat advocates. The updated report launched in 2025 also gained traction in Swedish media. This study examined the Swedish media coverage of the 2025 EAT-Lancet report and its potential effects on reception in Sweden. With framing analysis and the concept of scientification, which is a discursive strategy where an issue is given a scientific character to strengthen arguments, it investigated the media framing and how scientification was used by actors to legitimise or delegitimise the report. The results show that the framing differed depending on the actors behind the articles. While many newspapers framed the report as important science targeting food system challenges, considerable critique of the report, partly based on misleading information and scientification as a strategy to delegitimise the report, was also given space in the media. An interpretation of the results is that the media reporting contributed to a reinforcement of conflicts related to food system transformation and dietary recommendations. By giving space to the critics’ use of scientification and misleading information, these media outlets legitimise them and spread misinformation, thereby risking compromising public acceptance of the report and negatively affecting attitudes towards a transformation of the Swedish food system.