Studies & Articles - Topic: Metalabel
Last month, there were some findings and recommendations on the topic of "metalabel", which we already discussed in our last Webtalk 2023 with Prof. Dr. Carolyn Hutter, Prof. Dr. Carsten Leo Demming and Alexander Liedke. The introduction of a sustainability label is called for in both the federal government's nutrition strategy and the recommendations of the Citizens' Council, both of which were published last month. In line with this, DHBW Heilbronn recently published its research paper on sustainable food consumption through improved product labeling. The introduction of a standardized label was also discussed at our Food Innovation Dinner. Insights into the federal government's nutrition strategy, the recommendations of the Citizens' Council and the DHBW research paper can be found further down in the newsletter.
You can watch the recording of the web talk on "Metalabel" here.
The federal government's nutrition strategy
The federal government's food strategy was published on January 17. Measures to achieve this vision are proposed in six strategic goals.
We think it's great that the federal government's first nutrition strategy has finally been adopted. Together with the results of the Citizens' Assembly, Germany is laying the foundations for a good future. Are the results of the strategy enough for us? Not really. We would have liked a little more in some areas, but we still believe that this is a great first step and that we have opened the door to something new in both Europe and Germany.
We have summarized the key points from the nutrition strategy for you in an article in the magazine.
Nutrition in transition - Citizens' Council recommendations
On January 11, the Citizens' Assembly "Nutrition in Transition" presented nine specific recommendations to the German Bundestag based on intensive discussions and a participatory process with 160 citizens drawn by lot. Since September 2023, they have taken part in three face-to-face weekends and six online meetings and were supported by a scientific advisory board.
The official handover of the finalized citizens' report to Bundestag President Bärbel Bas is planned for February 20 at 6:30 pm. This report, including all recommendations and information on the process, will be published as a Bundestag printed paper and will form the prelude to cross-party discussions in the Bundestag.
Research Paper Product labels of the DHBW
In their recently published research paper, Prof. Dr. Carsten Leo Demming, Prof. Dr. Carolyn Hutter, Sandra Ullrich, Anneke Anders and Maren Kreiser share comprehensive findings from their study on sustainable food consumption through improved product labeling - with a foreword by Jörg Reuter. The balancing act between capturing the most complex ecological circumstances possible and making it as easy and quick as possible for consumers to understand is one of the biggest challenges for metalabels. The results of the project provide valuable information on the ideal design of customer-friendly and transparent sustainability labeling. It is now up to the players in the food industry to make use of these study results and to put further existing sustainability label findings into practice in a timely manner.
Further studies and articles to read more
Sustainability is becoming a competitive issue in the food industry
"Conquering the mountain" - this was the title of the sustainability study conducted by the Federation of the German Food Industry in collaboration with RSM Ebner Stolz at the Green Week.
In particular, the study highlights challenges on the route to the major goal of "sustainability" from the perspective of the 145 leading representatives of the food industry surveyed. In-depth interviews with experts confirm the results. The study is summarized in five key findings - you can find our detailed summary on Food Campus Digital.
The Economics of the Food System Transformation
The report "The Economics of the Food System Transformation" deals with the transformation of food systems to meet global challenges related to climate, nature and health.
It presents goals for future food systems and looks at the design of pathways to food systems that are fit for the future. The report also looks at the net benefits of transformation, using both a bottom-up approach to measure the reduction of hidden costs and a top-down approach to social welfare analysis.
The aim of the entire analysis is to identify ways for a sustainable and transformative development of food systems, taking into account the various challenges and opportunities.
Scam with vegan products?
An investigation by Foodwatch reveals that many vegan products are not as healthy as is often assumed. Of 15 vegan meat substitutes tested, only two received a good rating in the Nutri-Score, which assesses nutritional quality. The assumption that vegan products are generally healthy is also promoted in communication by manufacturers.
Nutritionist Alice Luttrop emphasizes that vegan alternatives are not automatically healthy, as many are highly processed and enriched with flavours and additives. She recommends opting for fresh, unprocessed foods.
