Stakeholder Perceptions of Policy Tools in Support of Sustainable Food Consumption in Europe: Policy Implications

Abstract

Transitioning agri-food systems towards increased sustainability and resilience requires that attention be paid to sustainable food consumption policies. Policy-making processes often require the engagement and acceptance of key stakeholders. This study analyses stakeholders’ solutions for creating sustainable agri-food systems, through interviews with a broad range of stakeholders including food value chain actors, non-governmental organizations, governmental institutions, research institutions and academic experts. The study draws on 38 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted in four European countries: France, Iceland, Italy and the UK, as well as three interviews with high-level EU experts. The interviewees’ solutions were analysed according to a five-category typology of policy tools, encompassing direct activity regulations, and market-based, knowledge-based, governance and strategic policy tools. Most of the identified solutions were located in the strategic tools category, reflecting shared recognition of the need to integrate food policy to achieve long-term goals. Emerging solutions—those which were most commonly identified among the different national contexts—were then used to derive empirically-grounded and more universally applicable recommendations for the advancement of sustainable food consumption policies.

Circular Food Behaviors: A Literature Review

“…The circular economy is a framework that can help to integrate sustainability in food systems [13,63]. Promoting circularity in food systems is more relevant than ever, considering that the ongoing pandemics "has highlighted the importance of sustainable food management by revealing the food system as a pivotal aspect of the sustainable supply chain" [66] (p. 9).…”

“…By learning more about the circular economy and how to make it concrete, consumers also increase their involvement [43]. Consumers can learn about the "complexity of food consumption" and the "sustainability and health gains of sustainable diets" [63] (p. 16); they can start to "change their habits regarding the end-life of products" [59] (p. 43) and learn "what can be composted, replanted, or what is suitable for wildlife to eat" [60] (p. 10). They can learn how to interact with food products designed for circularity and change their perception of what "waste" is [56].…”

“…Both in transitioning and circular behaviors, technologies connect, inform, and educate consumers and have the potential to bridge the "circularity holes" in food chains [45]. They can educate about a product's benefits, indicate how and where to dispose of products [44,52], guide consumers towards healthier and more sustainable food choices [13], and increase transparency in the food chain [63]. Digital means and online communities-such as information and communications technologies, apps, digital platforms, and social networks-disseminate established practices and simplify and amplify the connections between different actors [45].…”

Influencing Factors of a Sustainable Vegetable Choice. The Romanian Consumers’ Case

“…Considering that food comes from the use of natural, and often common, resources such as water and soil, and having food is considered a right in the modern world [52,53], the sustainable production [54][55][56] and consumption [57,58] of food have become pressing problems in order to reach sustainable development. As with any other problem that affects the future of humanity, the change of patterns for both production and consumption of food have strong policy implications, either at the global level, with more general recommendations such as the Sustainable Development Goals [14] or at the regional level, with more applied actions [59].…”

“…Public policies that aim towards obtaining sustainable food systems [60] are theoretically designed for all stakeholders involved, considering their possible level of contribution [59]. Therefore, there are specific policies who address food production and distribution so to determine these sectors to become more sustainable [61] through alternative production systems [56], new inputs [62], using biofuels [63], waste reduction through the circular economy [64] or reducing the resource consumption [65].…”