Do consumers want to eat sustainably?
The short answer is yes – more consumers are wanting to eat a sustainable diet, particularly one which considers the carbon footprint of foods that are produced and consumed. For example, a recent report by EIT Food found that three-quarters (76%) of 19,800 respondents surveyed across Europe, felt a moral obligation to use environmentally friendly products.
The report that measured trust in the food system and confidence in food products also found that consumers felt that more sustainable consumer choices can be guided by better education around sustainable diets, ethical food production and simpler guidelines and labels on food products.
What are the barriers to eating sustainable foods?
There are many barriers that can make it difficult for consumers to adopt a sustainable diet. According to EIT Food’s 2020 Trust Report, examples include:
Confusion about which food products are sustainably produced
Other factors such as price or health win out when it comes to making sustainable choices
Perceptions of food sustainability performance are highly divided – people do not know whether to trust what is being said or done
What are the solutions to eco-friendly eating?
One solution that could help consumers to adopt a sustainable diet is ‘eco-labelling’ on food and drink products. Information on the environmental footprint of different foods would enable consumers to be able to compare products for sustainability and empower them to make more informed buying choices. For example, food labelling is helping consumers to assess the nutritional scoring of food products. Labels such as the Nutri-Score labelling system has been adopted by major food companies including Nestle and Danone to enable consumers to make for informed healthy food choices.
Learn more about how labelling is changing to help consumers here.
In terms of eco-labelling, a mainstream environmental scoring label is already in development and being piloted on a range of popular food products in the UK. Foundation Earth is an independent, not for profit organisation that has created a front-of-pack eco-impact score label which uses a traffic light system, rating products from A+ to G. Products rated A+ are highly sustainable, whilst products towards the end of the spectrum are rated as less sustainable.
Foundation Earth Eco Labels
What indicators are included in the eco label?
The Foundation Earth method looks at the supply chain from farm, through processing to retail and takes into consideration four main factors: carbon (49%), water pollution (17%), water use (17%) and biodiversity (17%). Each of these factors provides an indication of environmental sustainability. For example, products produced using less water is important as water is a finite resource, whilst producing products using less carbon is important to reduce the food industry’s contribution to carbon emissions.
Importantly, Foundation Earth’s eco-impact score does not end with labels. Consumers are able to access an online certificate from a link on each product label, so that they can find out more information on how exactly a product has been scored. This enables consumers to actively engage with how products are scored for sustainability, while providing information on what factors influence the sustainability of a food product, which gives meaning to the broad term of what sustainability actually considers.
Which products are using eco-score labels?
Chief Executive Officer of Foundation Earth, Cliona Howie, explains which brands are piloting the environmental label so far.
“Currently there are 170 products scored, with 31 products on shelves from Mighty Drinks, White’s Oats, Finnebrogue, Rankin, Good Little Company and Mash Direct. Foundation Earth is working to build consensus in the industry through partnerships with a wide range of food systems actors including governments, think tanks, scientists and researchers, consumer groups and farmers. Several industry players have shown their support already such as Nestle, PepsiCo, Unilever, CoOp, Starbucks, Danone and others.”
One step closer to sustainable food
An easy-to-use environmental score label would not just benefit consumers, as it would encourage food producers to adopt more sustainable production practices to achieve an A+ impact score rating. This suggests that consumers have the power in demanding sustainably produced products from food producers if they continue to purchase A+ scoring products.
According to Cliona Howie, early results from the Foundation Earth label pilot reveal a positive change in consumer behaviour.
“Foundation Earth has had an overwhelming positive reaction from consumers. This sends a clear signal that the food system is ready to make change and that there is a strong consensus that food labeling is a trigger for that change.”
Therefore, both food producers and consumers have an active role in bringing us one step closer to sustainable food. Consumers should continue to demand sustainably produced foods and become increasingly aware of how products are scored across sustainability measures, whilst food producers are encouraged to make sustainability an integral part of their business model.
Do you want to learn more about sustainable food?
EIT Food offers a range of free online courses on a range of food systems topics including sustainable food production, food waste and food labelling. Explore our courses here.
Over 100,000 learners from more than 160 countries worldwide have taken part in EIT Food’s online courses. With 87.5% positive feedback, we are equipping learners across Europe and beyond with the skills and knowledge they need to transform the future of food.
About EIT Food
EIT Food is the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community. We accelerate innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all.
Supported by the EU, we invest in projects, organisations and individuals that share our goals for a healthy and sustainable food system. We unlock innovation potential in businesses and universities and create and scale agrifood startups to bring new technologies and products to market. We equip entrepreneurs and professionals with the skills needed to transform the food system and put consumers at the heart of our work, helping build trust by reconnecting them to the origins of their food.
We are one of eight innovation communities established by the European Institute for Innovation & Technology (EIT), an independent EU body set up in 2008 to drive innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe.