Sustainable food labelling: considerations for policy-makers

Abstract Communication is an increasing prerequisite to justify academic existence and value, and for project funding of all kinds to show relevance and value, including the future of European networks like COST Actions. Academia is slowly adapting to this expectation and learning the profession of communication. Language and vocabulary are key issues in communication, and particularly to reach the many important non-scientific audiences. Therefore, this chapter starts with a description of some new plant breeding technologies relevant for communicating, in general terms, the science behind plant improvement. This is followed by selected examples of the application of these techniques to improve current and future crop varieties. Finally, key messages gathered from the European iPLANTA project for policy makers, non-specialists and specially interested citizens are communicated. This is to show a wider audience how RNAi can contribute to sustainable food solutions and food security with minimal environmental impacts.

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Price strategies for sustainable food products

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-02-2014-0066 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 117 (2) ◽

pp. 915-928 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Paul T.M. Ingenbleek

Keyword(s):

Food Products ◽

Price Fairness ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Content Type ◽

Sustainable Products ◽

Competitive Disadvantage ◽

Desk Research ◽

Price Strategies

Purpose – Sustainable products often suffer a competitive disadvantage compared with mainstream products because they must cover ecological and social costs that their competitors leave to future generations. The purpose of this paper is to identify price strategies for sustainable products that minimize this efficiency disadvantage. Design/methodology/approach – The strategies and their determinants from the pricing environment are derived from an inductive sequential case study of certified food products, such as organic and fair trade products. Data are collected through desk research and interviews. Findings – The results reveal six different strategies that build on three basic mechanisms: cost-based pricing in combination with price fairness, increasing willingness to pay through perceptions of quality and/or price, and price stability in which costs are compensated for by scale and/or learning effects. Research limitations/implications – The framework can help companies that offer sustainable products strengthen their market positions and it can help policy makers that partly rely on markets to achieve sustainability objectives. Originality/value – The existing pricing literature on sustainability predominantly takes a consumer approach. This study breaks new ground by extending this work with a strategic marketing approach offering a choice set of strategies for managers.

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Multiplicity of Perspectives on Sustainable Food: Moving Beyond Discursive Path Dependency in Food Policy

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11102773 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2773 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Michiel P.M.M. de Krom ◽

Hanneke Muilwijk

Keyword(s):

Focus Groups ◽

Policy Making ◽

Food System ◽

Food Policy ◽

Civil Servants ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Path Dependencies ◽

Problems And Solutions ◽

Integrated Policy

The idea that a sustainable transformation of the food system is urgently needed is gaining ground throughout Europe. Yet, opinions differ substantially on what a sustainable food future exactly entails, and on how this future may be achieved. This article argues that recognising this multiplicity of opinions and perspectives in policy making is productive because it creates attentiveness to innovative ideas and initiatives, and may contribute to a broad social support base for policy choices. However, food policy makers may overlook the diversity in perspectives by unreflexively adopting understandings of problems and solutions that are historically dominant in their organisations. In this article, we reveal the usefulness of triggering reflection on such discursive path dependencies amongst policy makers. We do so by presenting a three-fold case study that we conducted in the Netherlands. First, we analytically distinguish five perspectives on sustainable food that feature prominently in the Dutch public debate. Subsequently, we show that only two out of these five perspectives predominantly informed a Dutch food policy—despite intentions to devise a more integrated policy approach. Finally, we discuss the findings of two focus groups in which we discussed our analyses with Dutch civil servants who have been involved in drafting the Dutch food policy. These focus groups triggered reflection among the civil servants on their own perspectival biases as well as on discursive path dependencies in Dutch food policy making. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for the understanding of the discursive politics of sustainable agro-food transformations in Europe.

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Show Me More! The Influence of Visibility on Sustainable Food Choices

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods8060186 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 186 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Nicky Coucke ◽

Iris Vermeir ◽

Hendrik Slabbinck ◽

Anneleen Van Kerckhove

Keyword(s):

Visual Cues ◽

Meat Products ◽

Purchase Behavior ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Poultry Products ◽

Display Area ◽

Store Environment ◽

Post Hoc

Visual cues are omnipresent in an in-store environment and can enhance the visibility of a product. By using these visual cues, policy makers can design a choice environment to nudge consumers towards more sustainable consumer behavior. In this study, we use a combined nudge of display area size and quantity of displayed products to nudge consumers towards more sustainable meat choices. We performed a field experiment of four weeks in a butchery, located in a supermarket. The size of the display area and quantity of displayed poultry products, serving as the nudging intervention, were increased, whereas these were decreased for less sustainable meat products. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of our nudging intervention, we also collected data from a control store and performed a pre-and post-intervention measurement. We kept records of the sales data of the sold meat (amount of weight & revenue). When conducting a three-way ANOVA and post hoc contrast tests, we found that the sales of poultry increased during the nudging intervention, but did not decrease for less sustainable meat products. When removing the nudge again, the sales of poultry decreased again significantly in the experimental store. Changing the size of display area and the amount of products displayed in this display area created a shift in the consumers’ purchase behavior of meat.

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A healthy, sustainable and safe food system: examining the perceptions and role of the Australian policy actor using a Delphi survey

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001900185x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (16) ◽

pp. 2921-2930 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sinead Boylan ◽

Emma Sainsbury ◽

Anne-Marie Thow ◽

Christopher Degeling ◽

Luke Craven ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food System ◽

Delphi Survey ◽

Political Agenda ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Food And Nutrition ◽

Sectoral Differences ◽

Safe Food ◽

Definition Of ◽

Sustainable Food System

AbstractObjective:There is an urgent need to identify and develop cross-sectoral policies which promote and support a healthy, safe and sustainable food system. To help shape the political agenda, a critical first step is a shared definition of such a system among policy makers across relevant sectors. The aim of the present study was to determine how Australian policy actors define, and contribute to, a healthy, safe and sustainable food system.Design:A Delphi survey, consisting of two rounds, was conducted. Participants were asked how they define, and contribute to, a healthy, safe and sustainable food system (Round 1) and indicate their level of agreement with summary statements (Round 2).Setting:This was an online Delphi survey conducted in Australia.Participants:Twenty-nine and fourteen multisectoral and multilevel policy makers completed Round 1 and Round 2, respectively.Results:The definition included food processing regulation, environmentally friendly food production and access to nutritious food. All agreed that it was important for them to improve access and supply of healthy food and ensure healthy planning principles are applied.Conclusions:There were cross-sectoral differences in definitions and contributions; however, critical consensus was achieved. The study contributes to the definition of key elements of a cross-sectoral food and nutrition policy to meet today’s environmental, health, social and economic challenges; however, further research using a more representative multisectoral sample is warranted.

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The Role of Agriculture in Ensuring Food Security in Developing Countries: Considerations in the Context of the Problem of Sustainable Food Production

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12135488 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (13) ◽

pp. 5488 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Karolina Pawlak ◽

Małgorzata Kołodziejczak

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Availability ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Policy Formulation ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Strategic Role

Ensuring food security has become an issue of key importance to countries with different degrees of economic development, while the agricultural sector plays a strategic role in improving food availability. The aim of this paper is to identify relationships between the undernourishment scale and selected characteristics describing the agricultural sector within identified clusters of developing countries. Typological groups of countries were separated using Ward’s method. It results from the analyses that the greatest problems with maintaining food security are observed in the developing countries with a high share of agriculture in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adverse conditions hindering agricultural production and deficient infrastructure. Based on research results desirable and tailored strategies for food security improvement in individual clusters were developed. Promoting investments in agricultural infrastructure and extension services along with adopting measures aimed at increasing the households’ purchasing power, especially those in rural areas, appear to be key drivers for improving both food availability and food access. The paper focuses not only on identifying the reasons of undernourishment, but also contributes to recognition of the most effective ways to solve the hunger problem under a country’s unique conditions. It offers a comprehensive perspective for the policy formulation in various areas world-wide, which may be of interest to scholars and policy makers.

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Resistant pests : A producer’s perspective

Phytoprotection ◽

10.7202/706076ar ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 75 (4) ◽

pp. 91-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

G. McPhee

Keyword(s):

Pest Management ◽

Strategic Plan ◽

Wildlife Habitat ◽

World Population ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Production Chain ◽

Industry Research ◽

Water Base

The world population continues to grow rapidly while also demanding a safe, secure food supply. This supply is produced on a limited soil and water base which needs to be protected today and for future generations. By adapting to the control methods that are being used, current and new pests are changing and thriving under the conditions we provide while we produce food. A resource efficient and sustainable food production chain requires that producers of crops and livestock have a selection of safe, effective tools to manage pests to acceptable levels, and to minimize their ability to adapt. At present, the problem exists that those with responsibility for pest management like government policy makers, government regulators, the pest control industry, research and expert committees, food producers and consumers, lack a long-term strategic plan on how to manage pests safely and effectively. Such a strategic plan would clearly identify effective pest management as a major key, one that would give food producers the means of providing for food security while maintaining soil quality and wildlife habitat. Because of the speed at which pest resistance or adaptation is occurring, the process of developing the long-term strategy must be put in place quickly.

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Sustainable Diet Dimensions. Comparing Consumer Preference for Nutrition, Environmental and Social Responsibility Food Labelling: A Systematic Review

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11236575 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (23) ◽

pp. 6575 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Rebecca C. A. Tobi ◽

Francesca Harris ◽

Ritu Rana ◽

Kerry A. Brown ◽

Matthew Quaife ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Responsibility ◽

Consumer Choice ◽

Food Systems ◽

Consumer Preference ◽

Food Labelling ◽

Food Labels ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Highly Educated ◽

Choice Preference ◽

Sustainable Diet

Global food systems are currently challenged by unsustainable and unhealthy consumption and production practices. Food labelling provides information on key characteristics of food items, thereby potentially driving more sustainable food choices or demands. This review explores how consumers value three different elements of sustainable diets: Comparing consumer response to nutrition information on food labels against environmental and/or social responsibility information. Six databases were systematically searched for studies examining consumer choice/preference/evaluation of nutrition against environmental and/or social responsibility attributes on food labels. Studies were quality assessed against domain-based criteria and reported using PRISMA guidelines. Thirty articles with 19,040 participants met inclusion criteria. Study quality was mixed, with samples biased towards highly-educated females. Environmental and social responsibility attributes were preferred to nutrition attributes in 17 studies (11 environmental and six social), compared to nine where nutrition attributes were valued more highly. Three studies found a combination of attributes were valued more highly than either attribute in isolation. One study found no significant preference. The most preferred attribute was organic labelling, with a health inference likely. Consumers generally have a positive view of environmental and social responsibility food labelling schemes. Combination labelling has potential, with a mix of sustainable diet attributes appearing well-received.

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Sustainability-Related Food Labels

Annual Review of Resource Economics ◽

10.1146/annurev-resource-100518-094103 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 171-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Daniele Asioli ◽

Jessica Aschemann-Witzel ◽

Rodolfo M. Nayga

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Sustainable Development Goals ◽

Future Research ◽

Market Failures ◽

Food Labels ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Development Goals ◽

State Of Research

The past decades have seen the development of a multitude of sustainability-related food labels aimed at reducing the existing information asymmetry between food practitioners and consumers regarding the sustainability impact on the food supply chain. Sustainability-related food labels can correct market failures and contribute to a more sustainable world. This review discusses the effectiveness of sustainability-related food labels in promoting more sustainable food consumption around the world. We start by discussing the sustainable development goals in the food area and the challenge of defining these labels. We then investigate the demand- and supply-side issues related to the effectiveness of such labels in promoting the sustainable development goals that the labels serve. Finally, we discuss the questions raised by the state of research and their implications for food practitioners, consumers, and policy makers. We then identify future research avenues.

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Food discourses in Cape Breton: Community, economy, and ecological food practices

Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation ◽

10.15353/cfs-rcea.v3i1.119 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 20-45

Author(s):

Erna MacLeod

Keyword(s):

Economic Benefits ◽

Farmers Markets ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Cape Breton Island ◽

Food Practices ◽

Energy Demands ◽

Cape Breton ◽

Local Initiatives ◽

Time And Energy

This project investigates ecological food practices on Cape Breton Island as legacies of traditional lifestyles and responses to the acceleration of global capitalism. I examine the multifarious discourses that frame ecological food practices such as organic gardening and farmers’ markets in this region. People have many reasons for producing and consuming ecologically. For some, interest in local, organic food arises from health concerns; for others, involvement constitutes active resistance to environmental degradation or corporate control. These varying perspectives give rise to, and are reflected in, divergent discourses that shape people’s values and identities. I explore possibilities and constraints, including economic benefits, social connections, and healthy lifestyles; as well as time and energy demands, modest financial compensation, and environmental factors. The importance of sustainable food practices raises important questions: Who performs this labour and how is it financially compensated? How are products distributed and shared? What kinds of support would make ecological practices more feasible on a broader scale? To address these questions and contextualize my investigations, I interview farmers, consumers, restaurateurs, and policy makers, and analyze archival and policy documents. I situate my observations within broader circumstances to link local initiatives with global developments and illuminate possibilities for enacting change and collaboratively developing sustainable food practices (Starr 2014).

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