Rethinking Food – A Path to Affordable, Sustainable, and Healthy Systems

This roundtable is focused on food affordability in Europe, exploring how to achieve a balanced food system that is sustainable and healthy as well as affordable. In a time of global economic uncertainty, rising food prices, and pressing environmental challenges, ensuring food security for all is more urgent than ever.

Europe faces a complex dilemma: between March 2022 and March 2024, food prices in the EU saw significant increases. The most notable surge occurred by March 2023, when food prices had risen by around 19.2% compared to the previous year, marking the peak of food inflation during this period. This spike was driven by various factors, including energy costs, supply chain disruptions, and the impact of the Ukraine conflict on food commoditieswhile agriculture accounts for 32% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, public health is at risk, with over half of Europe’s population being overweight or living with obesity, driven by multiple factors interacting overtime, incl. high-calorie and nutrient-poor diets, physical inactivity, environmental and social factors, etc.  

During the event, we aim to tackle this "impossible trinity" of sustainability, health, and affordability. How can Europe transition to a more plant-based, nutrient-dense diet that is both accessible and sustainable? How can policies, consumer behaviours and industry innovation drive this change?