ABSTRACT
Consumers can be considered change agents in the move towards a healthier and more sustainable food system, but they still need to be supported to make healthy and sustainable food choices. While communication and awareness-raising campaigns are important, they are unlikely to be effective on their own. Many factors play a role in daily food choices, through interactions between food, people and the wider physical and psycho-social context. At the individual consumer level, motives and values related to health are generally different from those underlying sustainability, with health being a stronger driver. There is also a relatively low level of knowledge and awareness of the environmental impact of foods in the community, with only a small consumer segment actively involved in making choices based on this factor. At the same time, making healthy and sustainable food choices should not compromise important food qualities: price, taste and convenience, which are current barriers for some consumers. Given the interwoven factors influencing food choices and behaviours, a holistic approach is needed. Both upstream and downstream actions at the individual, community and macro level are essential to create an enabling environment for people to make healthy and more sustainable food choices.
