The Digital Footprints Lab (DFL) is pleased to announce plans for a workshop to be held in summer 2025 at Tampere, Finland, in collaboration with Tampere University and the University of Helsinki. This event is made possible with funding from the Research Development International Collaboration Awards.
Shopping data, alongside information from other digital activities, provides a valuable window into our behaviours. When linked with health data, it can provide powerful insights for public health research.
However, researchers in this field face a sizeable challenge: countries collect and share data differently due to varying laws, cultural practices, and administrative frameworks. These differences make it difficult to assess how shopping behaviours affect health across different populations.
To address these issues, we’re bringing together researchers and industry experts, including representatives from one of Finland’s largest retailers, for a two-day workshop. Our goal is to explore standardised approaches for linking individual shopping data with health surveys.
Workshop Focus
The 2-day event will address key topics in the field:
- Data Linkage Challenges: Understanding barriers to harmonising international practices for data linkages.
- Ethical Considerations: Examining privacy concerns and governance frameworks.
- Industry Collaboration: Sharing practical experiences and strategies for developing cross-industry partnerships.
The workshop will also include a roundtable discussion on the public health applications of linked shopping and health data.
By collaborating across borders, this workshop aims to lay the groundwork for a more unified approach to data linkage, enabling researchers to better understand how shopping behaviours influence health.
Stay updated for more!