5 Key Facts About Food Policy

Food is more than what’s on your plate . 

From climate change to public health, food intersects with many of today’s most urgent challenges. Around one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions stem from our food system – from agricultural production to processing and consumption. Yet food also has a social dimension: Who can afford healthy food? Who has access to nutritious options, and who is left out?  

Nutrition plays a crucial role in health. The growing prevalence of diet-related diseases and obesity has a major impact on our quality of life and life expectancy. In Europe, unhealthy diets are a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases, which now account for around 80% of the disease burden. And the impact goes beyond individuals: agricultural practices also influence human health indirectly through environmental and climate effects.  

Food is political – and needs clear frameworks. 

How can we eat in ways that benefit both climate and health? One thing is clear: the responsibility doesn’t lie solely with individuals. “In political debates, responsibility is often shifted from the system to the individual. The notion that sustainability is a matter of choice  at the supermarket is misleading,” says Dr. Tabea Lissner, Head of Climate Change at the Robert Bosch Stiftung. What people eat is always influenced by policy decisions and depends on the food environments they find themselves.  

People have limited control over their food environments. Stephanie Wunder, Head of the Food Team at Agora Agrar and jury member of our funding program “Zukunft aufgetischt!” puts it clearly: “Healthy and sustainable food must be available, affordable, and appealing. Improving food literacy only works if food environments are designed accordingly.”  

People want change – but feel powerless. 

Our representative study with More in Common, “Mine, Yours, Ours? What Matters to Us as a Society When It Comes to Food”, shows clearly: most people see food as a societal issue. Nearly two-thirds of Germans call for greater sustainability, fairness, and transparency in the food system. “Almost everyone wants to eat healthily, and most also sustainably and locally. But food is a multifaceted issue, full of pitfalls and challenges, which makes it hard for many,” says David Melches, co-author of the study.  

Only 14% of respondents feel that politics is taking enough responsibility for the food system. In contrast, 57% believe they themselves are doing their part. People are ready for change – but they don’t feel heard.  

One reason is the way food is discussed publicly. The study also shows: 70% of people in Germany perceive the political debate around food as divisive and ideologically charged. Instead of constructive dialogue, buzzwords like “sausage bans” or “culture of prohibition” dominate the discourse. Many are calling for binding standards, more transparency, and greater public involvement. At the same time, there’s frustration over the gap between knowledge and the ability to act.  
 

Food policy in Germany? A patchwork. 

62% of respondents view Germany’s current food policy as ineffective. Expert bodies like the Future Commission on Agriculture and the Scientific Advisory Board on Agricultural Policy, Food and Consumer Protection have long called for clear political guidelines. 

In 2024, the Citizens’ Assembly “Food in Transition” of the German Bundestag – a panel of 180 randomly selected citizens – issued nine concrete recommendations for a holistic food policy. To date, none have been implemented.  

“There’s a strong public desire for effective policies that set standards, ensure transparency, and hold the food industry accountable. People want to retain freedom of choice at the supermarket – but with the confidence that everything on offer is good, clean, and ideally healthy,” says David Melches.  

Even at the EU level, comprehensive proposals like the Sustainable Food Systems Law have been on the table – but were blocked. Policymakers often shy away from addressing the issue directly, opting instead to reduce bureaucracy and promote food education.

“Ambitious, demand-side food policies can help make the healthy and sustainable choice the easy choice. A broad range of instruments is available to support this. However, there’s still significant need for action – both in Germany and  at the the EU-level,” says Stephanie Wunder. A study by Agora Agrar and IDDRI illustrates how such instruments have already been successfully implemented in several European countries.   

Municipalities and local initiatives are driving change. 

Despite political inertia, there are many promising approaches to making food more sustainable, regional, and healthy. Especially in rural areas and at the municipal level, numerous initiatives are driving the transformation of the food system – from community-supported agriculture to food councils established in various cities. These efforts demonstrate that viable solutions and alternatives do exist.  

Funding programs like “Future is served!” help connect initiatives with local governments, improve information exchange, and anchor food issues more firmly in local politics.  

“In our program “Future is served!”, we’re testing participation processes around food issues specifically in rural areas. Here, participation means more than having a voice – it’s about , actively shaping food environments from school cafeterias to farmers’ markets,” explains Tabea Lissner. Public catering in schools, hospitals, and care homes offers a key opportunity to make food more sustainable: here, policymakers can directly influence people’s food environments and help provide regional food at fair prices.