 Is a focus on both nutrition and environmental sustainability possible?
Health and nutrition have been key drivers in the grocery industry for a number of years, while environmental sustainability has more recently risen up the agenda. Consumers are increasingly demanding foods that are both better for them and do not adversely affect the environment.
Sustainability is a priority for government as well. The 2008 Cabinet Office report ‘Food Matters’ includes among its strategic policy objectives for food both ‘the changes needed to deliver a further transition to healthier diets’ and ‘a more environmentally sustainable food chain’.
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| Nutrition & sustainability - a fine balance | |
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IGD’s preliminary study – could improving one affect the other?
While both nutrition and environmental sustainability are important for consumers, government and industry, it is not clear whether improving one will have a positive effect on the other, or whether the objectives aimed at improving diet and nutrition could adversely affect the environment.
Therefore IGD’s Industry Nutrition Strategy Group asked our team to undertake a preliminary study to begin to understand whether current nutritional goals may compromise those of environmental sustainability.
The study involved interviews with a number of experts and key opinion leaders, and a survey of those working in the food industry or food-related organisations. The results suggested that environmental sustainability could potentially be impacted in a number of ways by activities aimed at achieving nutritional objectives. The scale of each of the issues raised in the study was not determined, although the difficulty in making such assessments in some areas was underlined. More detailed evaluation would be required to determine overall impact in the context of a sustainable food supply chain.
Five-a-day and the environment
Many views focused on waste, transport – particularly air freight – energy required for chilled storage, and trade-offs between these and other factors, including lighting and water requirements. The complexity of the fruit and vegetable supply chain was highlighted, with the need to understand the effect of the whole lifecycle on the environment while aiming for an increased level of intake across the population.
Fish stocks
Diminishing fish stocks and the danger of species loss were highlighted among the opinions surveyed, with the need to ensure that fish are from sustainable sources. Interestingly, the Food Standards Agency has just launched a consultation plan to take into account wider sustainability issues in its dietary advice on fish consumption.
Fat sources
Ensuring sustainable sources of raw materials, such as palm oil, will be increasingly important as producers manage the demand for lower levels of saturated fat.
Changes in food processing that occur following reformulation were seen as potentially leading to an overall increase in energy use, due, for example, to the addition of ingredients or processing aids, or to new steps in production.
Level of impact and awareness
No measurements were made in the study of the environmental impact of the factors highlighted, and the difficulties in making such assessments were underlined. Clearly such assessments are required in order to understand the scale of the issues, and also the balance of trade-offs between them.
The study found some awareness within organisations of the potential for nutritional goals to impact environmental sustainability, and in some cases practical ways to address issues had been sought. However, nutrition and sustainability functions generally did not appear to be well integrated.
The results presented in the report are the findings of a preliminary study. We would welcome comments on the report, and any case studies illustrating the relationship between nutrition objectives and environmental sustainability for our website.
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