Food systems transformation towards healthy and sustainable dietary behaviour

The EU food system is under considerable pressure for change due to its negative climate, environmental and health impacts. Food system transition will require changing dietary habits of millions of Europeans. PLAN’EAT aims at advancing the scientific basis on factors influencing dietary behaviour and the health, environmental and socio-economic impacts of dietary patterns and deliver solutions for transition through a transdisciplinary and multi-level approach.

PLAN’EAT will co-create data and interventions in pan-EU network of 9 Living Labs and a Policy Lab. These living labs will focus on a broad range of population groups, varying according to age, culture, health and socio-economic status. PLAN’EAT entails four steps that feed into each other: (1) Dietary patterns of 9 different target groups from 9 regions will be mapped together with their food environments (2) Factors and drivers influencing dietary behaviour at macro- (food system), meso- (food environment) and micro- (individual) levels will be deeply investigated. (3) A True Cost Accounting database and methodology will be developed and applied, for the first time, on dietary patterns, providing integrated insights into the diverse impacts of current and future diets, including possible synergies and trade-offs. (4) A solution package will be co-developed with food chain actors, consumers and policymakers, incl.: i) a Food System Dashboard, setting out context-specific food policy recommendations; ii) interventions targeting Farm to Fork actors, for farmers, food industries, retailers and food services to create suitable food environments; iii) advisory tools to empower consumers; and iv) improved dietary advice and communication strategies to target populations at large.

PLAN’EAT will allow for realizing a transition of 58500 consumers to healthier and sustainable dietary patterns by 2032, reducing premature mortality by 20% and greenhouse gases emissions of local food supply chains by 23% in 39 areas.