Olive Oil Influencers In the Aisles

Social media can be an endless source of entertaining content. If you’re a foodie, at-home cook, or just love to scroll for the hottest trends in cuisine, you’ve most likely encountered food and/or nutrition influencers. These influencers generate awareness for the latest cuisine trends, encourage fans to try different types of food, or recommend quality brands. Some of them even take it a step further: filming themselves in supermarket aisles, holding up products, and delivering bold, sweeping recommendations—like whether to buy this olive oil or that.

Let's face it, olive oil lovers are really passionate about it. For that reason, olive oil has become one of these influencers' favorite targets. Dramatic claims about its quality or health benefits are guaranteed to grab attention—and boost clicks, comments, and shares.  To keep the outrage cycle going, influencers often repeat false or misleading claims. None of these claims reflect the real science or the wide range of high-quality, affordable olive oils available to consumers today.

We spent hours reviewing olive oil videos filmed in supermarket aisles—and found them packed with misinformation, half-truths, and outright falsehoods.

Here are the most common false claims we've seen online:

• The myth that most olive oils sold are fake
• Incorrect advice about olive oil's smoke point
• Unsubstantiated claims that olive oil packaging, such as plastic bottles or clear glass, reflects the quality of the olive oil inside the bottle
• Assertions—without evidence—that oils from specific countries are superior
• Misguided and misinformed emphasis on "single origin" or "single varietal" olive oil, wrongly suggesting that they guarantee quality or authenticity. 
• Since most of us aren’t food scientists or dietitians, it’s natural to rely on news reports and people “in the know” to share the latest food and nutrition research. Not everyone with a platform is credible, however. Researchers at Deakin University's Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) looked at nearly 700 Instagram posts by influencers and brands with more than 100,000 followers and found 45% contained inaccurate nutrition information. The study, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, also found that 9 out of 10 posts were of low quality when factors such as the author's professional qualifications, the evidence base of the information, advertising, and commercial interests were considered.

Here are some reasons why you should be careful when watching food and nutrition influencers:

Supermarket Aisles Are Not Laboratories

• Videos from influencers often involve confident, rapid-fire claims with no sources or citations. They promote a “shoot from the hip” style that makes them seem friendly and knowledgeable, like they’re speaking to their best friend about a big secret.
• The casual setting gives a false sense of trustworthiness—"they’re just a shopper like you!”—while pushing a manipulative agenda.
• Zero Accountability, Maximum Reach

The NAOOA monitors media stories about olive oil and we reach out to correct incorrect information. However: 

• These individuals aren't bound by editorial standards, fact-checking, or professional ethics. Influencers can post whatever they want on their platform of choice.
• Unlike journalists or healthcare professionals, they often face no consequences for spreading false or misleading information.
• Even if or when an influencer is corrected, misinformation remains online and continues to rack up views. 

Fear Mongering as a Content Strategy

• Influencers may exploit consumer anxieties about food, ingredients, and health with sensationalist and often alarming language (“fake”, “toxic,” “fraud,” “you’re being lied to”).
• They may use clickbait titles to drive engagement, such as “10 Foods to Avoid!” or “Common Food Lies!”. 
• This “fear-first” framing undermines trust in legitimate science and public health guidance and promotes conspiracy theories. This can discourage people from consuming healthy, affordable staples such as olive oil based on bogus claims.
• Fear-based food content is a lucrative niche. These creators make money from ad revenue, affiliate links, and product lines - without outwardly disclosing that they’re being sponsored by a brand or paid each time they publish a post.
• Algorithms reward engagement and attention, not truth—so, the more outrageous the claim, the more likely it spreads.
  

Undisclosed Sponsorships & Conflicts of Interest

Many influencers have financial relationships with brands that they fail to disclose. Not revealing these relationships breaks Federal Trade Commission Act Endorsement Guidelines. The FTC stresses the need for disclosures to be readily visible and easily understandable to consumers, on all types of social media posts.

What Consumers Deserve Instead

Consumers deserve transparency, evidence-based guidance, and accountability from content creators. You should be able to verify an influencer’s credentials, ask for citations, and question exaggerated or fear-based claims. Anyone offering nutrition advice should be open about their qualifications, sources, and potential conflicts of interest. Most importantly, don't let your personal health decisions be influenced by someone chasing clicks in the cooking oil aisle.

Whether you consume content on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook, influencers can have a far-reaching audience who may take their recommendations as truth. True nutrition professionals don’t shame people for their food choices. Be sure to do your homework and look for red flags if you find yourself “influenced” by someone on social media.