Opinion: Favouring more sustainable practices and products

While the climate crisis has been a topic high on the agenda for a while, the UN has now declared the situation as code red for humanity. The promotion of responsible consumption is essential and requires transparent agro-ecological practices and the introduction of more ethically sourced products within the food manufacturing and retail sectors.

When looking at the progress made by some of the giants within the agri-food industry it is evident that ecological approaches are increasingly encouraged by the sector’s actors. For example, Nestlé has partnered with the Earthworm Foundation to train 250 of its farmers in regenerative agriculture and is committed to agroforestry programs across several brands with the aim of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Unilever has made a similar promise and plans to achieve zero emissions on all its products by 2023. Other brands such as Lavazza are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and the chocolatier Cémoi has put in place a “transparency plan” which helps train producers in more sustainable practices that provide higher yields while avoiding deforestation.

Manufacturers are also listening to consumers’ demands and expectations and are switching to products with less packaging or recyclable packaging. Confectionary brands such as Mars and M&M’s have partnered with companies to develop biodegradables packaging made from natural ingredients.

Companies are investing millions into these projects with ambitious targets which shows an industry-wide push towards saving the planet and creating new sustainable practices. But will these goals truly be achieved? All this can only work if everyone in the value chain is willing to make an effort: retailers to accept the inevitable cost implications, and consumers to understand the reasons behind price increases and investments made by producers. Only a collective effort can lead to a successful outcome.