Winning over the undecided in the food transition: a collective challenge

When it comes to adopting more responsible behaviors, bridging the gap between beliefs and actions can be challenging.

While three out of four citizens hold a positive or very positive perception of sustainable food, the second edition of the Sodexo Toluna Harris Interactive International Sustainable Food Barometer highlights that 44% of respondents are still hesitant to eat sustainably when given the opportunity. However the shift towards food models that respect both the environment and our health cannot succeed without these undecided individuals being on board too.

So how can we persuade them to take the leap? We know that guilt-inducing sermons will not work. Actually, it’s quite the opposite: consumers tell us they need support to adopt more sustainable food habits in their daily lives. To turn words and good intentions into action, they need practical, simple, and accessible solutions—for example, price remains the number one factor influencing food choices for 73% of citizens.

As a global leader in food services, our mission is to make sustainable food choices both attractive and accessible to all. To drive widespread adoption of more local and plant-forward options, everything begins with innovation—on the plate first, but across the entire food ecosystem too.

This includes our support to producers in developing more responsible supply chains, and the way we communicate about the nature and composition of sustainable products and dishes, their nutritional value, and their positive impact on health. It also includes our ability to share ideas and tips with consumers, to inspire them to choose meals that are healthy, delicious, and environment friendly. It was the focus of Cook for Change, our international competition dedicated to sustainable and gourmet cuisine, whose final round took place on November 14th, in Paris. Thanks to the passion and creativity of our chefs, the food transition is moving forward: 25.6% of our recipes are now plant-based.

These changes are essential. We serve over 80 million consumers in 45 countries every day. That gives us a significant role in driving change among our clients as well as among all our stakeholders. ?Co2 emissions, resource depletion, waste, as well as the alarming rise in diet-related illnesses like obesity and diabetes: all these factors make action on sustainable food an urgent necessity, not an optional action.

Citizens increasingly rely on us to support this transition and offer solutions: food service providers have climbed from 9th place in 2023 to 4th in 2024 (+8 points) among the players capable of driving change. These numbers mark significant progress in just one year. This recognition motivates us to keep moving forward.

Winning over hesitant consumers is a collective challenge that requires input from all stakeholders, from farm to fork: producers, suppliers, chefs, and beyond. It is through this united effort that more and more undecided individuals will join the ranks of those committed to sustainable eating—one step, and one meal, at a time.

More insights ??https://bit.ly/3BdcHTU

This open letter was first published in French daily newspaper Les Echos on December 2, 2024.

#Catering #Sustainability #Food #SustainableFoodBarometer #Sodexo