Taxes, bans and product reformulations should be considered to encourage consumers to shift to a more plant-based diet, a new EU report has said.
The report from a group of leading scientists was requested by the European Commission to support the revision of the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy.
The scientists say that governments must introduce a range of policy instruments to promote a shift in consumption “towards healthier and more sustainable diets”.
This includes more plant-based ingredients and fish and seafood sourced from sustainably managed stocks, with moderate amounts of low-fat dairy products and limited red meat, processed meat, salt, added sugar and high-fat animal products.
Report
The report says that the current EU food system is “a major driver of environmental impacts, especially biodiversity loss, eutrophication, water stress, land degradation and climate change”.
It said that “poor dietary quality” is linked to obesity and risks of disease, and added:
“While reducing sugar and animal product consumption are key to increasing health, reducing consumption of animal products is the key mitigation option to reduce environmental impacts.”
The scientists say the current policy focus on providing information and education to consumers is not effective enough and must be mixed with other policy elements.
The report points to “positive examples” of policy including Germany considering the introduction of a meat tax, framed as an “animal welfare levy”.
“Making animal products reflect the true cost of their associated impacts is economically efficient, and may require levying carbon pricing on greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture,” it said.
The report says that the impact of such a policy can be “neutralised by returning the tax proceeds to citizens appropriately”.
The scientists add that healthy and sustainable food options should have prominent placement in supermarkets and food service outlets such as schools and canteens.
It is also suggested that the food industry should be compelled to reduce unhealthy fat, sugar, and salt content, and add more plant-based alternatives at product development stage.
“In order for Europe to achieve its health and sustainability goals, the way we produce, distribute and consume food must change, and this cannot be left entirely up to the consumer.
“We hope our scientific advice and evidence will be the base for that,” Prof. Eric Lambin, a member of the group of chief scientific advisors to the EU Commission, said.