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- Study why people use or buy products and services, and give advice to retailers and manufacturers
- Requires excellent research and presentation skills, analytical thinking skills and to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- With experience, option to progress into a management post
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Researching and writing reports
- Testing recipes
- Recruiting and training panels or focus groups
- Conducting interviews with consumers
- Researching the tastes, needs and preferences of consumers
- Giving advice to manufacturers and retailers on improving items and services
- Developing tests to make sure products meet quality standards and legal requirements
- Representing consumers' rights
- Advising hotels, restaurants, schools, residential care homes or hospitals on catering
- Advising on products ranging from household goods to public places
- Producing information on cookery, family health and new products
- Talking with the media
- Advising on healthy living in schools, colleges and universities
- Working for bodies like the Food Standards Agency or Trading Standards
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
Your place of work will depend on your role. You might be in a lab testing new products and formulations, or you might work from an office, classroom or kitchen. You might also travel to factories, farms and catering sites.
You'll need
This role requires excellent research and presentation skills, analytical thinking skills and to be thorough and pay attention to detail.
You'll usually need a degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject like consumer studies, food and consumer product management, food science or technology, psychology, marketing or statistics.
Some employers may also ask for a postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject like behavioural psychology or consumer behaviour.
Experience in food manufacturing or market research can help you get into this job.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience you could progress into a management post. With training you could use your experience to move into a career in teaching.