Time has come for a greener, healthier and more resilient and competitive food system. Yet the transformation is progressing slowly. Our ways of producing and consuming food are locked into structures that are difficult to change, according to researchers behind a new article in Nature Food. Here, they explain why and what it will take to move forward. The article represents the first scientific output from a new European research alliance.

Published on 03 June 2026

Europe’s agrifood system is under severe pressure. Climate change is causing droughts and floods, and agriculture is putting pressure on nature, the climate and the environment. Diet‑related lifestyle diseases are placing a growing burden on healthcare systems. At the same time, agriculture is expected to deliver affordable food, climate action, biodiversity and food security all at once while maintaining competitiveness in a global market.

On paper, ambitions are high. The EU’s Green Deal and the Member States’ national climate plans all point towards a comprehensive transformation. In practice, however, progress is very slow. Many of the same problems persist year after year.

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Five principles to move Europe forward
The researchers do not stop at describing the problems as they see them today. As something new, they also take the next step and propose solutions in the form of five principles that can guide policymakers, businesses and civil society, so that the necessary transformation of Europe’s food system does not stall:

1. Prioritising access to healthy, sustainable and affordable food
2. Including all actors in transformation processes, also those who risk losing out
3. Creating accountable and transparent processes and decision‑making
4. Using Europe’s diversity in agrifood systems as a strength
5. Shifting mindsets to a focus on prioritizing common goods

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