Food Transition

Every day, across Europe, the food on millions of plates is decided long before anyone sits down to eat. What farmers can afford to grow, what supermarkets promote, what schools and hospitals serve: these are not market accidents or matters of taste.

Europe’s food system is the product of policy. Yet the policies in place continue to drive climate change, biodiversity loss, public health harms and animal suffering, while entrenched interests delay the reforms the evidence demands.

A system failing on every front

The data makes the case for urgency. Food systems account for around 30% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. In the EU, agriculture contributes roughly 11% of total emissions directly, with animal production responsible for 81% of that share. Intensive livestock farming degrades soil, pollutes water and accelerates biodiversity loss.

High consumption of animal products is associated with elevated risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Over 36 million European citizens cannot afford a quality meal every second day, while approximately 20% of all food produced is lost or wasted. The system is failing on environmental, public health and equity grounds at the same time.

The other side of the transition

Animal welfare and food systems transition go hand in hand. Building a more sustainable and compassionate food system requires a gradual shift away from animal-intensive production and towards sustainable, more plant-based foods. Done right, this transition can benefit farmers, businesses and consumers alike. The conditions in which animals are raised, the incentives that shape what farmers produce and the food choices available to consumers are all influenced by the same policy framework. We advocate for this framework to support the transition. By aligning agricultural, food and investment policies with these goals, the EU can create economic opportunities while accelerating the shift towards a truly sustainable food system. One that works for animals, people and the planet.

Our work

The EU has the legislative and financial tools to drive change across agricultural funding, trade policy, public procurement, consumer information and regulatory frameworks. We engage with the European Commission, the European Parliament and Member States across the legislative files that shape how food is produced, distributed and consumed in Europe, advocating for a transition towards plant-forward, sustainable food systems that are ambitious in direction, evidence-based in design and equitable in implementation.

Europe has long relied on a narrow, intensive model of animal protein production that is ecologically costly, economically fragile and increasingly at odds with animal welfare, climate and biodiversity goals. We work to accelerate a shift towards diversified protein systems, supporting farmers as they move into legumes, pulses and plant-based crops and reducing Europe's dependence on imported proteins. This is also about livelihoods: diversification means new income streams, lower input costs and greater stability in the face of climate shocks.

A food transition that only reaches people who are already convinced, and already equipped to make sustainable choices, is just a niche. A transition that increases costs or reduces access for the most vulnerable would undermine both its legitimacy and its durability. We work to make plant-based, healthy and sustainable food accessible to everyone, everywhere, as a matter of policy.

Food culture changes in the places where people eat. We push for public procurement frameworks that place plant-rich food at the heart of what is served in schools, hospitals, canteens and public institutions, the spaces where millions of Europeans eat every day and where food choices are shaped.

EU-funded food promotion programmes and school schemes currently do too little to shift consumption towards sustainable, plant-based options. Reformed, they are powerful instruments for building food education from an early age and driving lasting change in how Europe eats.

We pursue all of this alongside farmers, researchers, food producers and civil society partners, because lasting change requires viable pathways for every actor in the food chain.