Safefood is taking an interactive 'Appetite for Change' exhibition on tour to four libraries across Northern Ireland, encouraging people to share their views on the food environment.

The free exhibition is at Irvinestown until 20 October and opens at Dungannon Library on 20 October, before moving to Omagh Library on 10 November and Bangor Carnegie in County Down on 17 November.

Running alongside a multimedia advertising campaign, the initiative aims to raise awareness of how the food environment is saturated with heavily marketed, unhealthy options.

Developed following conversations with communities across the island of Ireland about their vision for a healthier food environment, the exhibition features illustrations by award-winning artist Steve Doogan. Safefood will also run immersive workshops for teenagers from four schools across Northern Ireland, featuring a first-of-its-kind virtual reality (VR) experience to inform future public health policy.

The bespoke VR supermarket, created in collaboration with the Dublin City University Institute of Business and Society and led by Professor Tim Hubbard, places teenagers in a realistic shopping setting.

Participants will encounter pricing, promotions and product placement, enabling researchers to study what teenagers notice and how they respond.

Dr Joanne Uí Chrualaoich, CEO, Safefood, said: "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. The spaces in which we live, work and play all influence the food choices that we make, so it’s important that we all get to share our views on what needs to change to create a better food environment that supports healthier eating. I’m encouraging people to take our survey as will it help us build a picture of what needs to change in our food environment."