EUFIC urges consumers to consume less, waste less and eat more sustainable plant-based foods

05 Jun 2023 --- On the occasion of World Environment Day, the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) is raising awareness of the environmental impact of food systems and how healthy and sustainable diets can support the planet’s future. This year marks the 50th celebration of the UN World Environment Day, established to generate political momentum around urgent environmental issues.

“There are three changes that we can all make to achieve a more sustainable diet – consume less, waste less and reduce our consumption of animal products in favor of plant-based alternatives,” Dr. Nina McGrath, content production area lead at EUFIC, tells NutritionInsight.

With these changes and eating more fruit, vegetables and whole grains, sustainable diets are also healthier, she explains. 

“Agriculture alone is responsible for up to 30% of manufactured greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of our water use. It is the leading cause of deforestation, land use change, biodiversity loss and a major source of water pollution and freshwater consumption.” 

Consume and waste less 
Overconsumption contributes to an increase in overweight and obesity, notes McGrath. At the same time, it drives unnecessary demand for increased production of crops and livestock with the associated environmental impact. 

“Lowering our overall energy intake, especially in high-consuming countries, can benefit the health of both the environment and the population.”

Consumers should eat and waste less and eat more plant-based alternatives to animal products, says McGrath. She states consumers should waste less, as producing wasted food represents an unnecessary waste of land, water, labor and energy, while it is a futile contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. 

“In Europe, an estimated 88 million tonnes of food is discarded every year. It’s wasted during all stages of the food chain by producers, processors, retailers and caterers. Most waste, about 53% in Europe, takes place at home, hence the role of citizens in tackling this issue.”

McGrath points out that producing animal-based foods is generally more resource-intensive than plant-based foods and has a higher environmental impact regarding land use, freshwater consumption and CO2 emissions per ton of protein consumed. 

Plant-based diets 
According to international researchers, whether plant-based diets are the best for the planet depends on context. Animal-based foods may provide a compact source of nutrition in regions facing undernutrition. 

“From a nutritional perspective, any dietary changes should be considered in the context of the whole diet, alongside any possible nutritional consequences for health,” explains McGrath. 

“For example, dairy products bring essential nutrients like calcium to the diet and animal protein brings iron, zinc or B12. So when reducing or removing these foods from our diets, it’s important to pay attention to getting them from other sources.” 

She adds that diverse sources are vital for consumers who choose to reduce or eliminate animal products from their diet. Some nutrients, including protein and essential amino acids, are found in smaller quantities in plant-based foods than meat or fish. 

“Therefore, what one source lacks can be compensated by another. The complementarity of proteins in legumes and cereals is a good example.” 

“Diets high in plant-based foods have also been linked to a decreased risk of hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.”

Health vs. sustainability 
Researchers have linked healthier diets to a lower carbon footprint. Out of six diets examined, vegan, Mediterranean and climatarian diets exhibited some of the lost carbon footprints, while the standard American, keto and paleo diets yielded the highest footprints. 

However, it’s more complex in some cases as healthy food is not always environmentally friendly, explains McGrath. 

“For example, the benefits of fish consumption, particularly due to their omega 3 content, are well documented. However, overfishing and the depletion of some fish stocks is already a problem. If we all increased our fish consumption in line with dietary guidelines, the situation could get even worse.”

“Innovation has the potential to create solutions, innovative products that could help us meet our nutritional needs without putting pressure on our oceans.” 

She notes that research is being done into developing oilseeds with higher levels of omega 3’s, for example, focusing on sources such as walnuts and seeds – chia, flaxseed, hemp – seaweed and algae. 

Consumer challenges to overcome 
McGrath notes there are many barriers that can make it difficult for consumers to move toward more sustainable diets.

She mentions that there may be confusion about which food products are sustainably produced, price or health may be more critical than making sustainable choices or people may not know whether to trust what is being said or done regarding sustainability performance. 

Agriculture is responsible for 30% of manufactured greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of water use. EIT Food, a community of food sector partners established by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), published a consumer trust study in 2020, which indicated that only 30% of consumers are confident food products are generally produced sustainably, while 76% reported a moral obligation to use environmentally friendly products. 

“Other factors that influence people’s food choices can include cultural and ethical acceptability, visual attractiveness and perceptions about taste,” continues McGrath. 

“However, it is important to remember that these factors change depending on the geographical areas and targeted group of people.” 

Environmental impacts of the food industry 
As Europe experienced its second warmest year and hottest summer ever in 2022, research suggests redesigning the European food system on circularity principles could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 29% and agricultural land use by 71% while ensuring healthy diets. 

McGrath explains that agriculture and other activities in food production and consumption substantially impact the environment, including raising livestock, transporting, packaging and food waste.

She refers to studies that break down global greenhouse gas emissions from food production into categories, which indicate that “31% of food emissions come directly from livestock and fisheries, while 27% comes from crop production, of which 6% comes from crops for animal feed.”

Land use is responsible for 24% of emissions, of which 16% comes from land use for livestock. 

“Finally, supply chains account for 18% of food emissions. This includes food processing, distribution, transport, packaging and retail,” concludes McGrath.  

By Jolanda van Hal