Shaping Consumer Demand for Sustainable Food:  How can we Market and Communicate Effectively? 
Session Chairs: Henry Jäger & Sergiy Smetana 

The transition toward sustainable food systems will not work without the commitment of the consumer. Consumers may act as drivers or barriers toward more sustainable production and consumption in the food sector. Shifting consumer demand for a more sustainable diet will be a key element for future transformation. Consumer's perception, information and purchase behaviour related to sustainable foods and sustainable labels will determine consumer's influence and power to change the present food system.  

Consumer’s demand for tasty, convenient and affordable food, existing and emerging social norms as well as consumer mindset, consciousness and habits should be taken into account in order to develop effective marketing and communication strategies to facilitate consumer’s sustainable choice and the perception and acceptance of sustainable food and a sustainable diet.  

Talk 1 - Changing social norms regarding red meat consumption
Prof. John Thøgersen, Department of Management, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark 
“Social tipping points” and how to reach them is a hot topic in the discussion of a green transition. In the food sector, the most fundamental transition on the agenda is away from (especially red) meat to a (more) plant-based diet. Using panel data from Norway I will illustrate how red meat consumption is supported by existing social norms, but challenged by emerging norms for a climate-friendly diet. I will discuss how social norms marketing can be employed to facilitate the green transition of diets in Europe. 

Talk 2 - Alternative proteins: markets and marketing 
Dr. Christopher Bryant, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK / Bryant Research Ltd. Alternative proteins have an important role to play in food sustainability. By catering to consumer demands for tasty, convenient, and affordable food, alternative proteins can help us achieve food system goals relating to sustainability, animal welfare, and public health. I explore the markets and marketing of animal product alternatives including plant-based and cultivated meat.

Talk 3 - Challenges and perspectives of sustainable food communication to consumers 
Betty Chang, EUFIC, Brussels, Belgium 
Consumers are increasingly interested in the sustainability of their food. However, it is not always easy to communicate this information to them. This webinar will describe the key challenges of sustainable food communication and potential solutions, drawing upon consumer and environmental sustainability research and policy frameworks.

Talk 4 - Using holistic LCA methodology to design a trusted food label 
Cliona Howie, CEO, Foundation Earth, Santander, Spain  
Assessing and mapping the environmental impacts in a supply chain enables food producers to grow, manufacture, transport and sell their products more sustainably by building intelligence into decision making and product design. Join our session to find out how conducting Life Cycle Assessments using quality data on food products not only drives sustainable design and production, but also facilitates informed consumer choices based on more robust environmental impact scores.

After the presentations, the speakers will be available for a fireside chat (panel discussion) involving the audience. 

You are also kindly invited to join the upcoming seminars of this series:

All times are in Central European time (CET)

Short presentations from the scientific community (esp. PhD students & Post Docs) are warmly welcomed. If interested, please email a short abstract (300 words) to sustainability@effost.org

This seminar is part of the series  'Sustainable Food Systems: Connecting Expertise in Academia and Industry'  organized by the  EFFoST Working Group on Sustainable Food Systems. The seminar series aims to provide detailed insights into various facets of sustainability in the food sector. The seminars will include expert talks, practical indications from industry professionals, as well as short presentations from selected early-stage researchers.

If you missed the first seminar series 'Sustainable Food Systems: Connecting Expertise in Academia and Industry', do make sure to check out the PowerPoint presentations.

Scientific board of seminar series: Felix Schottroff, Henry Jäger, Arthur Robin, Kelly Fourtouni, Sergiy Smetana, Anet Režek Jambrak, and Hugo de Vries.

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