On March 4th, 2025, the “Driving Sustainability through Healthy Diets” conference, organized by Euro Coop and held at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) as part of the SOSFood project, convened to discuss the intersection of dietary changes and sustainability. The event aligned with World Obesity Day, highlighting its significance in promoting both environmental and human health.

 

Key Discussions and Presentations

  • Opening Remarks: Todor Ivanov of Euro Coop introduced the conference’s goals, emphasizing the crucial role of sustainable dietary practices in environmental conservation and health improvement. 
  • Research Insights: Siavash Farahbakhsh from the ILVO presented the FOODDATAQUEST project, focusing on how AI can help bridge consumer knowledge gaps and encourage sustainable eating behaviors. He referenced FAO’s guidelines, advocating for diets that are nutritionally adequate, environmentally responsible, and socially acceptable. 
  • Public Sector Initiatives: Andrea Patrucco discussed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact’s achievements, where over 300 cities have adopted sustainable food policies, enhancing urban food systems through innovative policy tools. 
  • Industry and Retail Contributions: Representatives from FoodDrink Europe and Independent Retail Europe shared how their sectors are contributing to sustainable food environments through educational projects and industry-led reformulations to improve nutritional profiles. 
  • Consumer Advocacy Roles: Luigi Tozzi and Carmen Redondo Borge highlighted their organizations’ efforts in promoting stricter food labeling and marketing regulations, emphasizing the need for improved food literacy and consumer awareness. 
  • Keynote Address: Peter Schmidt called for stronger policy interventions to make sustainable food accessible to all, stressing that consumer education alone is insufficient for significant dietary shifts. 

Conclusions and Forward-Looking Statements

The discussions reaffirmed that sustainable dietary practices offer substantial benefits for both the environment and public health. Key takeaways included the importance of AI in optimizing food supply chains, the environmental benefits of reducing meat consumption, and the health advantages of plant-based diets.

The conference concluded with a collective call for continued multi-disciplinary collaboration, further research into sustainable dietary benefits, and the promotion of EU-wide policies to enhance food systems. The participants committed to driving actionable changes, underscoring the event’s role in shaping future food sustainability strategies.