Savouring Truth: Exposing Disinformation in the World of Alternative Meats

This chapter analyses the deceptive tactics employed by the Center for Consumer Freedom’s (CCF) Clean Food Facts campaign, an astroturfing effort targeting plant-based meat alternatives. Through a thematic analysis of 19 advertisements, this study identifies three key themes characterising the campaign’s manipulative strategies: the illusion of credibility, emotional manipulation through targeted narratives, and selective framing coupled with misleading comparisons. The Clean Food Facts campaign constructs a false sense of authority by employing tactics such as citing misrepresented studies, distorting expert quotes, and leveraging fear and disgust to erode consumer confidence in plant-based products. The campaign’s multi-modal approach, utilising both traditional media outlets and various digital platforms, ensures broad dissemination of its deceptive messages, effectively targeting a wide range of audiences. The chapter concludes by emphasising the critical ethical responsibility of public relations (PR) professionals operating within the food industry to actively avoid engaging in deceptive practices and to develop and implement corrective strategies to combat the spread of disinformation surrounding food products.