Adoption of innovation and innovative sustainability initiatives by private operators in the EU food chain

The European Green Deal and its farm-to-fork (F2F) strategy have made sustainability in the food system an EU policy priority. It aims to help the EU’s current food system transition towards a fairer, healthier and environmentally friendlier one while maintaining its economic viability. This report seeks to provide a comparative empirical assessment of sustainability-enhancing initiatives adopted by private operators in the EU food chain. The assessment is based on data collected through semi-structured interviews with 37 representatives from food chain operators, associations, and related organizations. In total, 314 sustainability initiatives were identified, highlighting operators' efforts to promote more sustainable food production and consumption processes. These initiatives primarily emphasize the economic dimension, followed by the environmental aspect, while the social/health dimension receives comparatively less attention. The results also indicate that market demand and supply requirements are the primary drivers for adopting sustainability initiatives. Conversely, the main barriers to adoption include the lack of recognition of sustainability efforts by consumers, insufficient public support, and unclear policies regarding sustainability. To foster the adoption of sustainability initiatives, respondents identified the need for increased incentives, funding for enhanced sustainable solutions, and government technical support as crucial catalysts.