Although the sale of sustainable food products exploded in Liège during the confinement (sales in short circuits multiplied by three), this increase totally disappeared when consumers returned to their usual rhythm of life.
This could be explained by the disappearance of the factors that favored the adoption of a sustainable diet during confinement, such as:
Have time to do your shopping from door to door;
Be concerned about your health and that of your family;
Feel a strong solidarity towards small producers and local artisans;
Reorient the budget on quality rather than on certain hobbies; Have time to cook.
Yet consumers are increasingly aware of this: Globally, food accounts for almost a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. In Wallonia, agriculture alone is responsible for 12.8% of total emissions. Emissions related to our food are mainly the result of animal husbandry and the intensification of our agricultural practices. In addition, our imports linked to our food (soybeans, palm oil, etc.) have a major impact on global deforestation. Changing our diet also means acting for quality food that preserves biodiversity and guarantees a stable income for the farmer!
In this context where “awareness” is not enough to change behavior, what solutions can be considered to facilitate the use of a more sustainable diet, in the long term?
The expected solutions must position themselves on the food value chain and remove the brakes that keep consumers away from sustainable food (on their plate, and in the food's journey to it).
The solutions considered can promote “collective” adoption (by targeting collective kitchens, restaurants, canteens, etc.) or “individual” adoption (by directly targeting the consumer's basket).
