4 ways to promote healthy and sustainable food choices

Many consumers report they want healthier and eco-friendly diets, but in reality these choices aren’t always easy. Here are 4 ways to bridge the gap between what people aspire to eat and what actually ends up on plates.

26 Feb 2025

6 min reading time

Our eating habits are full of contradictions. Sometimes, we say one thing but do another. Many of us say eating healthier is our top dietary priority, yet ultra-processed food consumption is rising across Europe, and we’re not eating enough dietary fibre. Similarly, 70% of Europeans intend to live sustainably, yet only 46% factor sustainability into their food decisions (1).

Are we all hypocrites?

Not quite. When you look closely at our food environments, these “value-action gaps” start to make sense. Our diets aren’t just shaped by personal willpower. Culture, accessibility, knowledge, and trust in the food system, all play a role.

Four ways to make healthy and sustainable eating easier

The food system is complex, and so are people! But the good news is that consumer research and inspiring examples from food system pioneers are shedding light on the challenges. Here are four ways we can make healthy and sustainable eating an easier choice for consumers.

1. Build consumer trust: the foundation of healthy food choices

Consumer trust is fundamental to building a wholesome, nutrient-balancing food system that works for people and the planet. In reality, scepticism about the food industry remains high. European openness to innovative foods dropped from 34% to 28% in the past year (1), with consumers expressing reservations about frontier technologies like cultivated meat and 3D-printed foods. However, this hesitancy is strongly tied to trust: while only 16% of those with low trust in the food system are open to new products, 38% of those with high trust are willing to embrace them.

Building trust requires more than just shouting about the benefits of new food solutions – it demands transparency and collaboration.

Solutions:

Listen to consumer concerns about technology. Never dismiss public pushback as “uninformed” or “illogical”. High-profile incidents such as the 2013 horse meat scandal and more recent cases of adulterated olive oil can cause long-term damage to trust. Today, there are concerns about the ultra-processed nature of some meat substitutes (2), and doubts about sharing health data for personalised nutrition services (3). Engaging with these fears and acting transparently is crucial to fostering openness.

Make food system actors more visible. Research consistently shows that farmers are the most trusted stakeholders in the food system (1). Actors throughout the food value chain can learn from this by putting a human face on their operations – whether through outreach campaigns, or in-store initiatives that spotlight sustainable sourcing.

Create consumer-centred interventions. Initiatives like the SUCCESS project demonstrate how collaboration between researchers, retailers, and civil society can help reshape food environments. By integrating behavioural insights – such as redesigning store layouts to nudge shoppers toward plant-based options – supermarkets can make sustainable and healthy choices more intuitive.

The path to healthier, more sustainable diets isn’t just about better products – it’s about fostering trust, demonstrating shared values, and ensuring consumers feel heard and supported.

2. Decoding food information: clear communication on health and sustainability

Saying a product is “healthy” or “sustainable” is all very well – but what do these terms actually mean? Many startups and food innovators struggle to communicate why their products are good for people and the planet in a way that resonates with consumers. Without clear and accessible information, even the most ingenious innovations can fail to gain traction.

Consumers are looking for transparency, but they’re also overwhelmed. 59% report finding eco-labels confusing, and struggle to make sense of conflicting messages about sustainability (4). Similarly, confusing food labelling – such as the use of multiple terms for free sugars and varied descriptions of fats – can obscure health information.

Effective communication isn’t just about fancy words or flashy logos: it’s about authenticity, evidence and emotion.

Solutions:

Show how technology and agriculture work together. Food insights specialists Mintel urge food and drink companies to clearly explain why their products are sustainable and healthy, rather than relying on broad claims (5). A great example of this is the US-based startup Meati, which brings mycelium to life with engaging animations that show how their fungi-based protein is made.

Tell compelling, evidence-based stories. Some consumers are persuaded by inspiring narratives, others by hard data. A combination of the two can be a potent mix. A great example is BettaF!sh whose engaging website explains why seaweed-based products are a sustainable, nutritious alternative to fish, with the added benefit of supporting coastal economies.

Leverage trusted public platforms. FoodUnfolded is a great example. From explaining food origins to providing practical tips – such as using AI tools for meal planning – the platforms empower consumers to make evidence-based choices.

Simplify and standardise labelling. Clearer food and eco-labelling can help consumers make informed choices without feeling overwhelmed. Standardised definitions of sustainability, transparent disclosures about processing, and more intuitive nutrition labels can reduce confusion and increase trust.

By improving communication, the food system can bridge the gap between innovation and consumer confidence – helping people make choices for the wellness of themselves and the planet.

3. Redesign food logistics: shorter and simpler supply chains

As urban populations grow, integrating food production into cities is becoming increasingly important. Shorter supply chains can help overcome distribution challenges, improve food security, and make urban food systems more resilient (6). Strengthening connections between rural and urban areas is also crucial – ensuring economic opportunities benefit everyone.

Many consumers are already sold on the idea: 62% of Europeans prioritise buying seasonal food and 38% buy locally grown food as much as possible (1). But to make local and seasonal eating more accessible, we need to simplify supply chains and support innovative distribution models.

Solutions:

Support direct-from-farmer models. A good example is La Ruche Qui Dit Oui, connects consumers directly with local farmers through an online platform. Now operating in multiple countries, it enables small food-buying hubs where communities gather to purchase fresh, local produce with balanced vitamins and minerals.

Scale up urban farming. Growing food in cities reduces greenhouse gas emissions from transport and optimises land use through techniques like hydroponics and vertical farming. Companies like Belgium-based Urban Crop Solutions provides end-to-end indoor farming solutions, supporting businesses with research, engineering, and farm construction.

Enhance supply chain transparency with deep tech. Blockchain, AI, and digital twins are helping to create more efficient and sustainable supply chains. On the Food Fight podcast, AgriTask’s Ofir Ardon and Connecting Food’s Maxine Roper discuss how these technologies can build consumer trust by ensuring greater traceability and accountability.

By embracing urban agriculture, strengthening local supply networks, and using technology to increase transparency, we can redesign food distribution – to create a fairer and more resilient food system.

4. Accessible food: tackle affordability and other barriers

To inspire healthier and more sustainable eating, listen to consumers and understand the challenges they face. Healthier eating may be consumers’ main priority, but affordability is still a strong factor (1). Many perceive nutritious, sustainable options as expensive, which can be a significant blocker to change.

Ultra-processed foods are often seen as cheaper and more convenient, complicating efforts to encourage healthier eating. Meanwhile, sustainable foods like organic or regeneratively farmed products are associated with higher costs, as consumers believe they require more labour and time to produce. (2)

Solutions:

Make healthy eating convenient and affordable. The startup Alberts addresses this by offering vending machines that freshly blend smoothies and snacks using flash-frozen fruits and vegetables. The machines provide nutritious, plant-based drinks with zero food waste and biodegradable containers, making healthy snacking easy and affordable.

Leverage social media to shift perceptions. It’s important to engage with consumers where they are. Influencers like MealsbyMitch share low-cost recipes, encouraging people to try-out home-cooking without the need for expensive ingredients or equipment while emphasising balanced portions. Across Europe, people are discovering homemade nutritious food thanks to influencers such as Elias Dosunmu (Ukraine/Spain), Bianca Zapatka (Germany) and Marta Dymek (Poland).

Start food system education early. FoodEducators equips teachers with free lesson plans and resources to teach students aged 6–18 about sustainable and healthy eating habits, laying the foundation for informed food choices from a young age.

Tap into personalised nutrition. As more consumers seek food that supports personal and emotional wellbeing, companies like Salus Optima are leading the way. Collaborating with a global catering service, they created a mobile app that integrates personal data from wearables with customised workplace menus, aiming to improve health and wellbeing for one million users by 2029.

By addressing affordability and other consumer concerns, we can make sustainable, healthy eating more accessible – creating a food system that works for everyone.

Discover more consumer insights in the Trust Report 2024

References