How your shopping could save lives

Video by Woven films

Header image Lizzie Dolan, food shopping by Woven films

What does your weekly shop say about you? Some things might seem clear – like what your favourite food is. But could there be clues about your health too? Fill in our simple Shopping Trolley Secrets survey. 

In this film, researcher Lizzie Dolan from University of Nottingham’s N/Lab shares how she is trying to answer that question to improve health and save lives.

Lizzie and other researchers hope that by looking at many people’s shopping, they can find out how what we buy reflects our health. So far, they have discovered ways to predict deaths from respiratory diseases, such as those caused by viruses like COVID-19, using sales data of cough medicines. Now they hope to find early signs of other illnesses such as ovarian cancer so people can get help sooner.  

Shopping data research could help answer questions about other things too. This could be anything from diet to climate change. But how do you think your shopping should be used - if at all? 

To understand where to go next with this exciting area of research, Lizzie needs to know what you think – we’re helping her find out how you feel about donating your shopping data to health research and why.

Researchers want to know so they can work on what is important to you. 

We have opportunities to have your say on this in person in our Open City Lab – come along and find out more.