Nearly 55% of UK diners say misleading or low-quality visuals impact purchase decisions, creating a direct revenue risk for North East food businesses
- 63% of consumers say inconsistent or poor-quality images reduce trust in digital platforms
- 55% say poorly executed or heavily edited images actively reduce trust in what they are buying
- 51% would switch platforms for clearer, more accurate product imagery
Poor product photography is emerging as a measurable commercial risk for food and beverage businesses across the country, as consumers place increasing weight on visual accuracy when ordering online. Photoroom Intelligence, Photoroom’s new insights and research platform designed to establish a clear industry barometer for excellence in AI-driven visual commerce, found that 63% of consumers say low-quality or inconsistent imagery reduces trust, while more than half are willing to switch platforms for clearer visuals, highlighting how directly imagery now influences revenue, not just brand perception.
This shift is being driven by the continued growth of digital ordering, where visual content replaces physical interaction with products. Even as cost pressures persist, 80% of UK consumers continue to order takeaway or delivery, reinforcing the importance of digital touchpoints in everyday purchasing decisions (KPMG, 2024). As a result, imagery has become one of the primary ways consumers assess quality and value before making a purchase, including for restaurants, takeaways and delivery-first operators.
Within these environments, the margin for error is narrowing. Poor lighting, inconsistent presentation or overly edited images can create a disconnect between expectation and reality, which in turn impacts both initial conversion and repeat behaviour. Where visuals fail to accurately represent the product, trust is quickly eroded, particularly as consumers become more accustomed to making fast, low-consideration decisions in app-based environments.
The issue is particularly acute for multi-site operators and delivery-first brands, where maintaining consistency across menus, locations and platforms presents an operational challenge. At the same time, rising consumer expectations around transparency mean that imagery must not only be high quality, but also reflective of the real product being delivered. Where this standard is not met, the commercial impact is immediate, with reduced order frequency and increased customer churn, a challenge that is increasingly relevant for hospitality businesses competing for loyalty and repeat spend.
Photoroom supports food brands, restaurants and delivery-first operators in producing consistent, high-quality visuals at scale, helping them improve conversion while maintaining accuracy and trust across digital channels.
About Photoroom
Founded in 2019, Photoroom has quickly become the world’s most popular AI-powered photo editing and design platform, carving out a niche in e-commerce photography. With over 300 million downloads across 180+ countries, Photoroom ranks among the top six most-used generative AI products globally.
Processing over seven billion images per year, Photoroom offers a complete solution for creating product images at scale, empowering businesses to launch faster, sell more, and cut photography costs without compromising quality.