Ellen van Kleef

Dr. Ellen van Kleef is an Associate Professor in Food Consumer Science at Wageningen University & Research, Department of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour. Her research focuses on how young people navigate healthy food choices in complex environments, leveraging social media insights and nudging strategies to design effective interventions. Key areas include the interplay between digital and physical food environments, healthier online shopping systems, and school lunch program implementation. She leads projects such as COMFOCUS (European food consumer science collaboration) and studies the impact of decision support systems on sustainable food choices. Recent work explores adolescent exposure to food marketing on social media and the efficacy of personalized health nudges. Ellen’s expertise spans consumer behavior, nutrition policy, and food literacy development, emphasizing practical solutions for public health challenges.

**Education & Background**: Not explicitly detailed in the provided text, but her academic title (dr.ir.) indicates a PhD and engineering background. She holds an adjunct role in interdisciplinary research.

**Grants & Projects**: Active in EU-funded initiatives (e.g., COMFOCUS) and national collaborations with retailers and universities to promote transparent, healthy food systems. Her team investigates behavioral economics principles applied to food environments, including school canteens and online platforms.

**Labs/Teams**: Core member of the Marketing and Consumer Behaviour chair group, leading interdisciplinary teams in food environment studies and digital health interventions.