Dundalk Library Hosts Virtual Reality Workshop for Teen Food Choices
The County Library in Dundalk is among 10 locations chosen to host an interactive “Appetite for Change” exhibition from 22 October 2026 to 28 October 2026. The free public event features a virtual reality workshop designed to explore how modern food environments influence the dietary decisions of teenagers.
Safefood organised the initiative alongside a multimedia advertising campaign drawing attention to heavily marketed unhealthy food options. The exhibition features illustrations by artist Steve Doogan, which reflect visions for healthier food environments gathered through community consultations across the island of Ireland.
Virtual Reality Supermarket Developed by Dublin City University
Teenagers from Coláiste Rís and Gaelcholáiste Dhún Dealgan participate in the immersive virtual reality experience during the library exhibition. The technology places students inside a simulated supermarket to test how pricing, promotions, and product placement affect what young shoppers notice and how they respond.
Dublin City University Institute of Business and Society developed the VR supermarket in collaboration with Safefood, under the leadership of Professor Tim Hubbard. Researchers use the platform to examine how factors within the retail environment shape what people notice, remember and how they respond.
Virtual reality gives us a unique opportunity to place young people inside a realistic food environment and explore how they respond to the choices and influences around them,
Professor Hubbard stated regarding the technology.
Public Health Officials Address Diet-Related Health Issues
Safefood notes that findings from the teenage workshops and the public survey will contribute directly to future public health policy. Visitors to the Dundalk Library exhibition can complete an interactive survey on site or online at safefood.net.
By connecting with our network of libraries and bringing our Appetite for Change exhibition to a wider audience, Safefood is continuing to drive the national conversation about the food environment,
said Dr. Joanne Uí Chrualaoich, CEO, Safefood.
Dr. Aileen McGloin, Lead for Nutrition, Safefood, emphasised the broader context of the initiative. Food-related ill health in both adults and children remains one of the greatest public health issues we face, and the food environment is recognised as one of the main causes of the global obesity problem,
she stated.
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