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Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source

Eleanor Bryant, Danni Walters, Chloe Mellor, Louise Neilson, Natalie Rouse Orcid Logo, Alina Warren-Walker, Amanda J. Lloyd Orcid Logo, Robert J. Nash Orcid Logo, Tennessee Randall Orcid Logo, Laura Wilkinson Orcid Logo

Foods, Volume: 14, Issue: 21, Start page: 3702

Swansea University Authors: Eleanor Bryant, Chloe Mellor, Tennessee Randall Orcid Logo, Laura Wilkinson Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.3390/foods14213702

Abstract

Increasingly, attention is being paid to the underutilised wild edible nettle plant (Urtica dioica) as a healthy and sustainable food source. However, little is known about UK consumers’ acceptance of nettles and supplements containing nettles. This study explored UK consumers’ perceptions of nettle...

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Published in: Foods
ISSN: 2304-8158
Published: MDPI AG 2025
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70789
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However, little is known about UK consumers&#x2019; acceptance of nettles and supplements containing nettles. This study explored UK consumers&#x2019; perceptions of nettles as a food source and nettle-based powder supplements, using visual focus group methodology (i.e., creative drawing tasks and group discussion). A total of n = 34 participated in the study, with each participant engaging in one of five visual focus groups. Barriers to consumption and how consumers envisaged using nettle-based supplements were also explored. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse group discussions and pictures were analysed using visual content analysis drawing on the principles of content analysis, semiotics, and iconography. Findings revealed limited awareness amongst consumers about nettles as a food source, with sensory properties and prior experiences negatively affecting perceptions of nettle consumption. Concerns over processing and the inclusion of carrier ingredients reduced consumer trust in a nettle powder supplement viewing these as &#x2018;ultra-processed&#x2019; and unhealthy. A preference for natural additional ingredients was revealed, potentially signalling an opportunity to engage and educate consumers around sustainable eating. 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spelling 2025-11-13T12:09:47.9137930 v2 70789 2025-10-29 Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source ff98def2b4db29f626b7d8f05a76f862 Eleanor Bryant Eleanor Bryant true false 365b5478dd985766326ddb6e3f993c35 Chloe Mellor Chloe Mellor true false 14ff15db1a967a2572eb97f810de4ad4 0000-0003-3638-474X Tennessee Randall Tennessee Randall true false 07aeb47532af5a8421686d4f22f4a226 0000-0002-8093-0843 Laura Wilkinson Laura Wilkinson true false 2025-10-29 PSYS Increasingly, attention is being paid to the underutilised wild edible nettle plant (Urtica dioica) as a healthy and sustainable food source. However, little is known about UK consumers’ acceptance of nettles and supplements containing nettles. This study explored UK consumers’ perceptions of nettles as a food source and nettle-based powder supplements, using visual focus group methodology (i.e., creative drawing tasks and group discussion). A total of n = 34 participated in the study, with each participant engaging in one of five visual focus groups. Barriers to consumption and how consumers envisaged using nettle-based supplements were also explored. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse group discussions and pictures were analysed using visual content analysis drawing on the principles of content analysis, semiotics, and iconography. Findings revealed limited awareness amongst consumers about nettles as a food source, with sensory properties and prior experiences negatively affecting perceptions of nettle consumption. Concerns over processing and the inclusion of carrier ingredients reduced consumer trust in a nettle powder supplement viewing these as ‘ultra-processed’ and unhealthy. A preference for natural additional ingredients was revealed, potentially signalling an opportunity to engage and educate consumers around sustainable eating. Transparency in labelling information may improve consumer confidence and trust in nettle powder supplements. Journal Article Foods 14 21 3702 MDPI AG 2304-8158 nettles; sustainable food consumption; visual focus group; plant-based; botanical; UK consumers; perceptions 29 10 2025 2025-10-29 10.3390/foods14213702 COLLEGE NANME Psychology School COLLEGE CODE PSYS Swansea University External research funder(s) paid the OA fee (includes OA grants disbursed by the Library) This research was funded by Innovate UK Diet and Health Innovation Early Stage feasibility [grant number 10122681]. Time of TR was supported by UK Research and Innovation Building a Green Future strategic theme [grant number UKRI239]. 2025-11-13T12:09:47.9137930 2025-10-29T07:18:25.9309947 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Eleanor Bryant 1 Danni Walters 2 Chloe Mellor 3 Louise Neilson 4 Natalie Rouse 0009-0008-5661-9335 5 Alina Warren-Walker 6 Amanda J. Lloyd 0000-0002-0775-3537 7 Robert J. Nash 0000-0002-3272-640x 8 Tennessee Randall 0000-0003-3638-474X 9 Laura Wilkinson 0000-0002-8093-0843 10 70789__35616__3dad9494907d4372b0abf7e7b8e074d9.pdf 70789.VoR.pdf 2025-11-13T12:07:35.8982545 Output 1467438 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2025 by the authors. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source
spellingShingle Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source
Eleanor Bryant
Chloe Mellor
Tennessee Randall
Laura Wilkinson
title_short Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source
title_full Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source
title_fullStr Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source
title_full_unstemmed Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source
title_sort Consumer Perceptions of Botanical Sources of Nutrients: A UK-Based Visual Focus Group Study Exploring Perceptions of Nettles (Urtica dioica) as a Sustainable Food Source
author_id_str_mv ff98def2b4db29f626b7d8f05a76f862
365b5478dd985766326ddb6e3f993c35
14ff15db1a967a2572eb97f810de4ad4
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author_id_fullname_str_mv ff98def2b4db29f626b7d8f05a76f862_***_Eleanor Bryant
365b5478dd985766326ddb6e3f993c35_***_Chloe Mellor
14ff15db1a967a2572eb97f810de4ad4_***_Tennessee Randall
07aeb47532af5a8421686d4f22f4a226_***_Laura Wilkinson
author Eleanor Bryant
Chloe Mellor
Tennessee Randall
Laura Wilkinson
author2 Eleanor Bryant
Danni Walters
Chloe Mellor
Louise Neilson
Natalie Rouse
Alina Warren-Walker
Amanda J. Lloyd
Robert J. Nash
Tennessee Randall
Laura Wilkinson
format Journal article
container_title Foods
container_volume 14
container_issue 21
container_start_page 3702
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
issn 2304-8158
doi_str_mv 10.3390/foods14213702
publisher MDPI AG
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Increasingly, attention is being paid to the underutilised wild edible nettle plant (Urtica dioica) as a healthy and sustainable food source. However, little is known about UK consumers’ acceptance of nettles and supplements containing nettles. This study explored UK consumers’ perceptions of nettles as a food source and nettle-based powder supplements, using visual focus group methodology (i.e., creative drawing tasks and group discussion). A total of n = 34 participated in the study, with each participant engaging in one of five visual focus groups. Barriers to consumption and how consumers envisaged using nettle-based supplements were also explored. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse group discussions and pictures were analysed using visual content analysis drawing on the principles of content analysis, semiotics, and iconography. Findings revealed limited awareness amongst consumers about nettles as a food source, with sensory properties and prior experiences negatively affecting perceptions of nettle consumption. Concerns over processing and the inclusion of carrier ingredients reduced consumer trust in a nettle powder supplement viewing these as ‘ultra-processed’ and unhealthy. A preference for natural additional ingredients was revealed, potentially signalling an opportunity to engage and educate consumers around sustainable eating. Transparency in labelling information may improve consumer confidence and trust in nettle powder supplements.
published_date 2025-10-29T05:31:42Z
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score 11.089386

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