Researcher Spotlight: Dr Beth Armstrong
Dr Beth Armstrong is a psychologist specialising in food behaviours, healthy and sustainable diets, consumer psychology, and public policy. Her research focuses on understanding the factors that shape food choices and supporting the transition to safer, healthier and more sustainable food systems.
Hi Beth, can you start by telling us about your research background and your current research interests?
Beth Armstrong: I have a background in psychology, with research interests spanning healthy and sustainable diets, consumer behaviour, food insecurity, food safety and food policy. Broadly, my research aims to support people in the transition to healthier and more sustainable diets. Much of my work focuses on understanding the barriers and opportunities that influence dietary change - from people's understanding of use-by dates and sustainable foods to willingness to eat lentils and meat analogues.
I am currently working across various food-related projects, including National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), Climateflation, and H3 (Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People). I am also working on Mind the Gap, in partnership with Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS), which aims to understand UK consumers’ knowledge and attitudes towards cell-cultivated protein (also known as lab-grown meat).
Are there any projects, publications or other outputs that you're particularly proud of, or excited about at the moment?
Beth Armstrong: I am particularly excited about my work with the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC). Working under the NAPIC People Pillar, I use data and insights to support consumers in the transition toward healthier and more sustainable protein sources. I am also working on Climateflation, a project in partnership with Food Foundation, which looks to understand the impact of climate change and extreme weather events on food prices, diet quality, health outcomes, and inequalities.
Thinking about past projects and outputs that I am particularly proud of, I worked with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as the Food and You 2 Research Fellow for over four years. Food and You 2 is the FSA’s Official Statistic survey which measures consumers’ food-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. I authored a series of Official Statistic reports, policy focused reports (e.g. Food Hygiene Rating Scheme), and championed the inclusion of new topics relating to food inequalities including bin diving and social supermarket use. The resulting data on social supermarket use is now featured in the UK Food Security Report. I also led the spin-off project Food behaviours in the UK student population, a mixed-methods project which combined insights from co-creation sessions, an online survey and citizen science image coding to delve into the world of student food practices. The findings have been used to inform national food safety campaigns and the FSA’s Student guide to food safety.
Looking ahead, where do you think the greatest opportunities lie for the kind of research you do?
Beth Armstrong: Recent years have seen an increasing number of climate, political, and economic shocks to the food system. This has resulted in increased levels of food insecurity and dietary inequalities. The most important future direction for the type of research that I do is to understand the impacts of food system shocks on the food that people eat, as well as developing interventions across the food system to support consumers to eat safer, healthier, and more sustainable diets. I believe that interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to successfully tackle the complex and increasing challenges facing the food system.
Can you tell us about your connection to the Institute for Sustainable Food and how you're involved with its work?
Beth Armstrong: Aligning with the ISF mission, my research aims to find solutions to the challenges of food insecurity and sustainability. I joined the University of Sheffield in 2019 as a Research Associate to support Peter Jackson and Christian Reynolds on a short project - I have been here ever since! I joined the ISF ECR group in its inaugural year (2021-22). Over the last few years, I have attended various ISF events and collaborated with ISF colleagues, learning a lot from those in other disciplines along the way.
Can you tell us a fun fact about you?
Beth Armstrong: I dressed up as an expired bag of salad last Halloween - bagged salads are associated with the UKs largest recent foodborne disease outbreak (UKHSA, 2026).