When we want to know what we’re eating, food labels can be difficult to understand. Between calorie counts, additives and ingredients, they can be overwhelming. In the UK, icons that show how much exercise is required to work off servings have been suggested as a simplistic solution.

From understanding what exactly is in the coffee you’re drinking, to knowing how polluted the air in your back garden is, people are looking for microscopic details to feel informed. But who is this new curious group of people? And what will they do with this information?

As a nation, we're increasingly health conscious and it's showing in the way we shop; whether we're buying food or cosmetics. Traditionally, purchase decisions are made using relevant information on the product label, but industry bodies suggest the way we digest this information is set to change.

More and more French people are buying local food from small producers as they strive to become conscientious consumers. Amid this shift, eco-friendly supermarket Biocoop is on the rise. But are sustainable credentials enough to steer shoppers away from the convenience of major chains?