Presentation
This report gathers analyses of demand-side food policies in 11 European countries. It is associated with the Policy Paper Towards food policies that support healthy and sustainable consumption. Country case studies and the role of the EU food policy, While the Policy Paper highlights key insights from the country case studies, this report includes the full case studies. Each case study provides background information on the country’s progress towards better coordinated, thus integrated food policy and focuses on one to three examples of demand-side measures. The countries and policy examples have been selected to highlight positive examples from different European regions and to cover a wide range of approaches to integrated food policies and specific measures.
The list of countries is composed of nine EU Member States – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands – plus Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
This report aims to help stakeholders in Member States considering the development of integrated food policies by providing a better overview of relevant and effective policies, useful processes as well as success factors and barriers.
Key Messages
The focus of these case studies is on demand-side food policies, i.e. policies that have a direct or indirect impact on food practices through changes in the food environment. Policies fostering such food environments not only enhance food-related competences but also improve availability, affordability and appeal of healthy and sustainable options. This includes reducing food waste and promoting healthy and sustainable diets. Fair food environments are key to changing food consumption patterns, as highlighted in multiple reports and as analysed in the policy paper.
In this respect, the policies examined in this report cover issues ranging from health and sustainability standards in public food procurement, reducing food waste through a public private partnership, food assistance in the form of subsidised restaurants, to funding alternative proteins, and improving food system monitoring. The case studies also include good examples of citizen participation processes, involvement of local actors and stakeholder consultations.
The case studies:
– provide a brief overview of how food policies and priorities have evolved in each country
– explain the extent to which each country has worked towards and agreed on a national food strategy and action plan and the extent to which it is a more holistic strategy or focused on specific issues and measures
– describe who was involved in the development of relevant food policies and what lessons can be learned from stakeholder involvement
– describe a selection of policies, value chain interventions or policymaking processes that can serve as inspiration or positive examples for different aspects of an integrated food policy
– refer to what is known about the impact of the measures and discuss what lessons can be transferred to other countries.