Prof. Dr. Sophie Hieke

Macready, A. L., Hieke, S., Vranken, L., & Grunert, K. G. (2026). Trust patterns in food chain actors in the European region over a six-year period (2019–2024): An exploratory analysis. Food Control. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.112545

Macready, A. L., Hieke, S., Klimczuk-Kochańska, M., Szumiał, S., Wachter, K., Arnoult, M. H., Vranken, L., & Grunert, K. G. (2024). Why trust is crucial: The moderating role of trust in the relationship between motivation and intention to buy healthy, sustainable, and novel foods. Food Quality and Preference, 112, 105386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2024.105386

Aouinaït, C., Christen, D., Carlen, C., Massri, C., Reipurth, M., Hieke, S., Hegyi, A., Kujáni, K., Major, Á., Szegedyné Fricz, Á., Hüttl-Maack, V., Gawlik, D., Petropoulou, E., Alfaro, B., Santa Cruz, E., Lameris, M., Kuitems, J., Janssen, F., Braun, S., & Chang, B. (2022). Barriers and facilitators of purchasing from short food supply chains in Europe: Insights from a stakeholder perspective. International Journal of Food Studies, 11(3), 196–207. https://doi.org/10.7455/ijfs/11.si.2022.a6

Chang, B. P. I., Massri, C., Reipurth, M., Petropoulou, E., Hüttl-Maack, V., Gawlik, D., Kujáni, K., Szente, V., Hegyi, A., Szegedyné Fricz, Á., Santa Cruz, E., Benos, T., Aouinaït, C., Campos, D., Alfaro, B., Jansseni, F., Theodorakopoulou, I., Iliopoulos, C., & Hieke, S. (2022). Barriers and facilitators of purchasing from short food supply chains: Evidence from consumer focus groups in Germany, Spain, Greece and Hungary. International Journal of Food Studies, 11(3), 208–218. https://doi.org/10.7455/10.7455/ijfs/11.si.2022.a7

Festila, A., Polymeros, C., Hieke, S., & Massri, C. (2021). Public sensemaking of active packaging technologies: A feature-based perspective. Public Understanding of Science, 30(8), 1024-1040. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625211015830

Profeta, A., Baune, M.-C., Smetana, S., Broucke, K., Van Royen, G., Weiss, J., Hieke, S., Heinz, V., & Terjung, N. (2021). Consumer preferences for meat blended with plant proteins - Empiricial findings from Belgium. Future Foods 2021/100088. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fufo.2021.100088

Timotijevic, L., Astley, S., Bogaardt, M. J., Bucher, T., Carr, I., Copani, G., de la Cueva, J., Eftimov, T., Finglas, P., Hieke, S., Hodgkins, C. E., Koroušić Seljak, B., Klepacz, N., Pasch, K., Maringer, M., Mikkelsen, B. E., Normann, A., Ofei, K. T., Poppe, K., ... Zimmermann, K. (2021). Designing a research infrastructure (RI) on food behaviour and health: Balancing user needs, business model, governance mechanisms and technology. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 116 (2021) 405–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.07.022

Profeta, A., Baune, M.-C., Smetana, S., Bornkessel, S., Broucke, K., Van Royen, G., Weiss, J., Heinz, V., Hieke, S., & Terjung, N. (2021). Preferences of German Consumers for Meat Products Blended with Plant-Based Proteins. Sustainability, 13(2), 650. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020650

Neubig, C. M., Vranken, L., Roosen, J., Grasso, S., Hieke S., Knoepfle, S., Macreadyc, A. L., & Masentoe, N. A. (2020). Action-related information trumps system information: Influencing consumers’ intention to reduce food waste. Journal of Cleaner Production, 261, 121126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121126

Macready, A. L., Hieke, S., Klimczuk-Kochanska, M., Szumial, S., Vranken, L., & Grunert, K. G. (2020). Consumer Trust in the Food Value Chain and its Impact on Consumer Confidence: A Model for Assessing Consumer Trust and Evidence from a 5-Country Study in Europe. Food Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2020.101880

Hung, Y., Hieke, S., Grunert, K., & Verbeke, W. (2019). Setting policy priorities for front-of-pack health claims and symbols in the European Union: Expert consensus built by using a Delphi method. Nutrients, 11(2), 403. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11020403

Hartmann, C., Hieke, S., Taper, C., & Siegrist M. (2018) European Consumer Healthiness Evaluation of ‘Free-from’ Labelled Food Products. Food Quality and Preference, 68, 377-388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.12.009

Jeruszka-Bielak, M., Kollajtis-Dolowy, A., Santoro, A., Ostan, R., Berendsen, A. A. M., Jennings, A., Meunier, N., Marseglia, A., Caumon, E., Gillings, R., de Groot, L. C. P. G. M., Franceschi, C., Hieke, S., & Pietruska, B. (2018). Are nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes reflected in lifestyle and health among elderly people? A study across five European countries. Frontiers in Physiology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00994

Hieke, S., Pieniak, Z., & Verbeke, W. (2018). European consumers’ interest in nutrition information on (sugar-free) chewing gum. Food Quality and Preference, 64, 172-180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.09.010

Grunert, K. G., Hieke, S., & Juhl, H. J. (2018). Consumer wants and use of ingredient and nutrition information for alcoholic drinks: A cross-cultural study in six EU countries Food Quality and Preference. Food Quality and Preference, 63, 107-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.08.005

Hung, Y., Grunert, K. G., Hoefkens, C., Hieke, S., & Verbeke, W. (2017). Motivation outweighs ability in explaining European consumers’ use of health claims. Food Quality and Preference, 58, 34-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.01.001

Kaur, A., Scarborough, P., Hieke, S., Kusar, A., Pravst, I., Raats, M., & Rayner, M. (2016). The nutritional quality of foods carrying health-related claims in Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia and the United Kingdom. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70(12), 1388-1395. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.114

Hieke, S., Kuljanic, N., Fernandez, L., Lähteenmäki, L., Stancu, V., Raats, M. M., Egan, B., Brown, K., Van Trijp, H.,Van Kleef, E., Van Herpen, E., Gröppel-Klein, A., Leick, S., Pfeifer, K., Verbeke, W., Hoefkens, C., Smed, S., Jansen, L., Laser-Reuterswärd, A. ... Grunert, K. (2016). Country Differences in the History of Use of Health Claims and Symbols. European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety, 6(3), 148-168. https://doi.org/10.9734/EJNFS/2016/20758

Hieke, S., & Harris, J. (2016). Nutrition information and front-of-pack labelling: Issues in effectiveness. Public Health Nutrition, 19(12), 2103-2105. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980016001890

Hieke, S., Cascanette, T., Pravst, I., Kaur, A., Van Trijp, H., Verbeke, W., & Grunert, K. (2016). The role of health-related claims and symbols in consumer behaviour: the CLYMBOL project, Agro FOOD Industry Hi-Tech, 27(3), 26-29.

Kaur, A., Rayner, M., & Hieke, S. (2016). Do health and nutrition claims meet consumers’ health needs? Agro Food Industry Hi-Tech, 27(3), 22-24.

Hieke, S., Grunert, K. G., & Pravst, I. (2016). Health claims and symbols: What role is there for health-related information to guide consumer behaviour? Agro Food Industry Hi-Tech, 27(3), 2-3.

Hieke, S., Kuljanic, N., Pravst, I., Miklavec, K., Kaur, A., Brown, K. A., Egan, B. M., Pfeifer, K., Gracia, A., & Rayner, M. (2016). Prevalence of Nutrition and Health-Related Claims on Pre-Packaged Foods: A Five-Country Study in Europe. Nutrients, 8(3), 137. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8030137

Hieke, S., Palascha, K., Jola, C., Wills, J. W., & Raats, M. M. (2016). The pack size effect: influence on consumer perceptions of portion sizes. Appetite, 96, 225-238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.09.025

Hieke, S., & Newman, C. L. (2015). The Effects of Nutrition Label Comparison Baselines on Consumers' Food Choices. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 49(3), 613-626. https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12095

Hieke, S., Kuljanic, N., Wills, J., Miklavec, K., & Pravst, I. (2015). Prevalence of nutrition and health claims on baby foods in 5 EU Member States. Appetite, 89, 329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.12.093

Raats, M. M., Hieke, S., Jola, C., Hodgkins, C., Kennedy, J., & Wills, J. (2015). Reference amounts utilised in front of package nutrition labelling; impact on product healthfulness evaluations. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 69 (5), 619-625. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.190

Hieke, S., Kuljanic, N., Wills, J. M., Pravst, I., Kaur, A., Raats, M. M., van Trijp, H. C. M., Verbeke, W.,& Grunert, K. G. (2015), The role of health-related claims and health-related symbols in consumer behaviour: Design and conceptual framework of the CLYMBOL project and initial results. Nutrition Bulletin, 40(1), 66-72. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12128

Grunert, K.G., Hieke, S., & Wills, J. (2014) Sustainability Labels on Food Products: Consumer Motivation, Understanding and Use. Food Policy, 44, 177-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2013.12.001

van Herpen, E., Hieke, S., & van Trijp, H. C. M. (2014). Inferring product healthfulness from nutrition labelling. The influence of reference points. Appetite, 72, 138-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2013.10.012

Hieke, S., Storcksdieck, S., Fernández, L., & Wills, J. M. (2013). Nutrition Labelling in Europe - Effective Guidance Towards More Healthful Food Choices? Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 2013, 63(Suppl 1), 134-135.

Hieke, S., & Wills J. M. (2012). Nutrition labelling - is it effective in encouraging healthy eating? CAB Reviews 2012, 7(031), 1-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/PAVSNNR20127031

Hieke, S., & Wilczynski, P. (2012). Colour Me In – an empirical study on consumer responses to the traffic light signposting system in nutrition labelling. Public Health Nutrition, 15(5), 773-782. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980011002874

Hieke, S., & Taylor, C. R. (2012). A Critical Review of the Literature on Nutritional Labeling. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 46(1), 120-156. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.2011.01219.x

Hieke, S. (2010). Effects of counterfeits on the image of luxury brands: An empirical study from the customer perspective. Journal of Brand Management, 18, 159-173. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2010.28

Grunert, K. G., & Hieke, S. (2025). Nudging for more sustainable and healthy food choices: A dual-processing approach with a time perspective. In L. A. Reisch & C. R. Sunstein (Eds.), The Elgar companion to consumer behaviour and the Sustainable Development Goals (pp. 191–204). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035325061.00022

Pravst, I., Kušar, A., Miklavec, K., Hieke, S., Raats, M., & Rayner, M. (2019). Use of nutrition and health claims and symbols on prepacked foods in Europe: From consumer exposure to public health implications. In S. Astley (Ed.), Health claims and food labelling (pp. 79–93). Royal Society of Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1039/9781788013031-00079

Hieke, S., & Grunert, K. (2019). Measuring the effects of health claims and symbols: The CLYMBOL methodological toolbox. In S. Astley (Ed.), Health claims and food labelling (pp. 94–106). Royal Society of Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1039/9781788013031-00094

Hieke, S., & Grunert, K. G. (2018). Introduction: Consumers and health claims. In M. J. Sadler (Ed.), Food, Nutrients and Food Ingredients with Authorised EU Health Claims Vol. 3 (pp. 19-32). Elsevier.

Hieke, S., Grunert K., & Wills J. (2015) Nachhaltige Gütesiegel und ihre Rolle im Verbraucherverhalten. In T. Weber (Ed.), CSR und Produktmanagement (pp. 69-95). Management-Reihe Corporate Social Responsibility. Springer Gabler. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45573-9_4

Hieke, S. (2009). Der Ressourcenorientierte Ansatz. In M. Schwaiger & A. Meyer (Eds.), Theorien und Methoden der Betriebswirtschaft. Vahlen.

Hieke, S., & Schmidkonz, C. (2020). Jump starting e-learning: the impact of COVID-19 on perceived learning success – A real-time case study. In T. Köhler, E. Schoop, & N. Kahnwald (Eds.), Gemeinschaften in Neuen Medien. Von hybriden Realitäten zu hybriden Gemeinschaften. Proceedings of the 23rd Workshop GeNeMe'20 (pp. 391-402). TUDpress. https://doi.org/10.25656/01:22408

Hartman, C., Hieke, S., Taper, C., & Siegrist, M. (2017). Consumer attitudes towards free-from labelling and claims. Proceedings of the 12th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, Rhode Island, USA.

Hondo, H., Kaunisto, E., Ofei, K. T., Mikkelsen, B. E., & Hieke, S. (2017). Small devices for Big data – business driven smart technologies to collect data on consumer behaviour. In B. E. Mikkelsen, K. T. Ofei, T. D. O. Tvedebrink, A. Q. Romani, & F. Sudzina (Eds.), Proceedings from 10th International Conference on Culinary Arts and Sciences, July 5‐7th 2017 Aalborg University Copenhagen – Exploring Future Foodscapes (pp. 452-453). Captive Food Studies, AAU.

Hieke, S., & Bucher, T. (2017). Connecting research laboratories and facilities – comparing the needs and wants of industry research centres and public-private research institutes. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Culinary Arts & Science, July 5-7th 2017 Aalborg University Copenhagen – Exploring Future Foodscapes. Captive Food Studies, AAU.

Brown, K., Hart, K., Sommers-Jones, G., Egan, B., Fiates, G., Raats, M., & Hieke, S. (2016). Do health claims affect consumption, as measured in the laboratory or in the field? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 75(OCE3), E146. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665116001610

Mikkelsen, B. E., Bucher, T., Hieke, S., Verain, M. C. D., & van der Puttelaar, J. (2016). Measuring food choice and consumption behaviour with real, fake or virtual food realities: a comparative approach from the Richfields program. In A. Spink, G. Riedel, L. Zhou, L. Teekens, A. Rami & C. Gurrin (Eds.), Proceedings of Measuring Behavior 2016: 10th International Conference on Methods and Techniques in Behavioral research (pp. 88-95).

Brown, K.A., Hieke, S., Kuljanic, N., Pravst, I., Miklavec, K., Rayner, M., Kaur, A., Pfeifer, K., & Gracia, A. (2015). Prevalence of health-related claims on pre-packaged foods: a five-country study in Europe. Proceedings of the 12th Federation of European Nutrition Science conference, Berlin.

Hoefkens , C., Hung , Y., Hieke, S., Grunert, K. G., & Verbeke, W. (2015). Motivation outweighs ability in explaining European consumers' use of health claims. Proceedings of the 12th Federation of European Nutrition Science conference, Berlin. Germany.

Hoefkens, C., Hung, Y., Hieke, S., Grunert, K., & Verbeke, W. (2015). Motivation outweighs ability in explaining European consumers’ use of health claims. Proceedings of the 12th Federation of European Nutrition Science conference, Berlin, Germany.

Hung, Y., Hoefkens, C., Hieke, S., Grunert, K., & Verbeke, W. (2015). Determinants of European consumers’ motivation and ability to process health claims and symbols. Proceedings of the 143rd European Association of Agricultural Economists AAEA-EAAE Seminar, Naples, Italy.

Brown, K.A., Hieke, S., Kaur, A., Kuljanic, N., Pravst, I., & Rayner, M. (2015) CLYMBOL European survey of nutrient and health claims prevalence – classification issues. International World Congress of Public Health Nutrition, November 9-12, 2014, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain.

Hieke, S. (2024, July 4). How ChatGPT became my co-lecturer [Conference presentation]. 23rd European Conference on Research Methodology for Business and Management Studies, Porto, Portugal.

Hieke, S. (2024, February 28). Speaker at Teaching Day [Conference presentation]. University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Germany.

Hieke, S. (2022). From clicking to crunching: How we communicate about food [Conference presentation]. SNACKEX Conference, Hamburg.

Hieke, S. (2022). Enabling the change [Panel discussion]. FAO Regional SAVE FOOD Conference, Istanbul, Turkey.

Hieke, S. (2018). European consumers and free-from labels. In Breakfast meeting of the European Palm Oil Alliance. Brussels.

Hieke, S. (2018). Consumers and Food Waste in Europe. In Food Waste Conference of the Lithuanian Consumer Institute. Vilnius.

Hieke, S. (2018). Was bestimmt unsere Lebensmittelauswahl? In 26th Diet and Nutrition Conference of the German Nutrition Society, section Thuringia. Ernst-Abbe University, Jena.

Hieke, S. (2017). What drives food choice. In EU Qual 360 conference. Amsterdam.

Hieke, S. (2016). Drivers of food choice. In MAPP conference. Aarhus University, Aarhus.

Hieke, S. (2016). European consumers and health claims. In International Food Safety Conference. Dubai.

Hieke, S. (2014). Consumer attitudes to free-from labels. In Food Matters Live conference. London.

Hieke, S. (2014). Consumer understanding of health claims. In International Conference and Exhibition on Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods. Istanbul.

Hieke, S. (2014). Consumers and health claims. In Summer School on Food Law. Warsaw.

Grunert, K. G., Hieke, S., & Wills, J. (2013, March 21). Sustainability labels on food products: Consumer motivation, understanding and use [Paper presentation]. 134th EAAE Seminar, Paris, France.

Schebesta, H., Purnhagen, K. P., & Hieke, S. (2019). Nutrition Labelling on Alcoholic Beverages: A Behavioural Law and Economics Study on Mandatory Alcohol Labelling. Wageningen Working Papers in Law and Governance 1/2019. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3365152

Hieke, S., Sarstedt, M., & Rennhak, C. (2007). Consumer Generated Advertising: Open-Source-Marketing (MBS Working Paper 2007/02). Munich Business School.

Hieke, S., & Grunert, K.G. (2020). Wie entscheiden wir, was wir essen? Ernährungs-Umschau, 4/2020, 214-223. https://doi.org/10.4455/eu.2020.022

Hieke, S. (2023, November 11). How ChatGPT became my co-lecturer [Conference keynote]. TEXOVERSUM LDT, Nagold, Germany.

Hieke, S. (2023, May 18). Clean labels: How consumers understand them and what this means for you. Food4Future Conference, Bilbao, Spain.

Hieke, S. (2022, November 29). Staying up to date with new and developing food trends and ensuring accurate consumer insights [Conference presentation and panel discussion]. Excellence in Food Innovation Conference, online.

Hieke, S. (2022, October 5). Enabling the change panel [Panel discussion]. Regional FAO Conference SAVE Food, Istanbul, Turkey.

Hieke, S. (2022, September 16). Die Zukunft pflanzenbasierter Proteine – Einblicke in die Verbrauchersicht [Conference presentation]. Ölsaaten Forum 2022, oils + fats Messe, Munich, Germany.

Hieke, S. (2022). From clicking to crunching: The role of social media in food consumption [Keynote address]. SNACKEX Trade Fair Conference.

Hieke, S. (2021, March 25). Free-from claims: How do European consumers respond to and interpret them? Positive Nutrition: Healthy Innovation for the Mass Market, FoodNavigator Digital Summit 2021.

Hieke S. (2020, June 19). European consumers and free-from labels. Webinar on Consumer Perception of Oils and Fats, FATS & Associés.

Hieke, S. (2020, April 8). The Power of Brands. MBS Online Luncheon.

Hieke, S. (2019, February 27). European consumer research in international research projects. Network for Consumer Research, German Ministry for Justice and Consumer Protection, Berlin, Germany.

Hieke, S. (2019, February 20). European consumers and health claims. Behr Verlag: Health Claims Tage, Cologne, Germany.

Hieke, S. (2019, January 22). European consumers and free-from labels. DLG Forum Kompakt: Kennzeichnung von Lebensmitteln, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Hieke, S. (2025, March 25). Impact@MBS: Insights from the latest report and inspirations for 2025. Xchange@Lunch, Munich Business School.

Hieke, S. (2023, May 10). The mixed classroom model – An educational model for more inclusive learning environments. Xchange@Lunch, Munich Business School.

Hieke, S. (2019, October 30). Drivers of Choice – What Motivates Our (Food Choice) Behavior? Brown Bag Seminar, Munich Business School.

Hieke, S. (2019). Europäische Verbraucherforschung in internationalen Verbundprojekten [Workshop]. In Network for Consumer Research, German Ministry for Justice and Consumer Protection. Berlin.

Hieke, S. (2018). Consumers and free-from claims [Workshop]. In Expert Forum LMIV. Fresenius Academy, Mainz.

Hieke, S. (2017). Drivers of Choice [Seminar]. In Brown Bag seminar at Nestlé Research Centre. Lausanne

Hieke, S. (2016). European consumers understanding and use of food claims [Workshop]. In Workshops at the Kellogg’s Nutrition Summit. Sitges.

Hieke, S. (2016). Risk communication in food scandals – how to [Workshop]. In Press workshop ‘Mythen und Fakten in der Ernährung‘. Competence Centre for Nutrition, Munich.

Hieke, S. (2016). Nutrition and health claims for elderly consumers [Roundtable discussion]. In SIAL. Paris.

Hieke, S. (2014). Positioning health foods to nowadays experienced consumers: do they still believe in claims? [Session Chair]. In NUTREVENT conference. Lille.

Hieke, S. (2025, October 1). MixTalk [Livestream participation]. SWR/ARD on Twitch. https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2580608801

Interview mit dem SWR Magazin Brust Raus (2025, June 27). Labubu Blind Box-Hype: Selten. Süß. Süchtig? https://youtu.be/CqpcVdRPLbc?si=F6qeCsL0DQexqKuh

Hieke, S. cited in Schröder, M. (2025, February 15). Blind Boxes: Warum wir die Überraschung lieben – Psychologie und Hype. RND.de. https://www.rnd.de/kultur/blind-boxes-warum-wir-die-ueberraschung-lieben-psychologie-und-hype-VSYTGCX3MNGCVNBXMXUWISMDRQ.html