New public polling shows what people really think of our food system
Our food system creates 20% of carbon emissions. People want it to be better. According to new YouGov public polling data, published today by Wen, 85% people want to reduce environmental impact of the food system. Food is at the heart of our lives. It’s how we care for ourselves and our families, it’s how we connect with our communities and express our cultures and traditions. And because all our food comes from the earth, it’s the strongest daily link we have to the planet and the climate crisis we are all facing. People want change, but there are barriers getting in the way of eating more sustainable food. When asked what prevents people from eating more sustainable food (e.g. organic, fair trade, local, plant-based), respondents identified cost as the biggest barrier. The result show that:
Three in five (58%) GB adults believe that sustainable food is more expensive than other, less sustainable kinds of food.
Three in 10 (30%) of those surveyed feel that there are not many sustainable food options (in supermarkets, cafés, restaurants etc.)
A quarter (25%) feel that there are cultural barriers to eating sustainably (e.g. meat being an important part of tradition or cultural identity)
85% people want to reduce environmental impact of UK food, but 58% say cost gets in the way.
What needs to change?
When asked what needs to happen to improve the food system in the UK:
Nearly 3 in 5 (58%) respondents said that healthy sustainable food needs to be made more affordable.
The same proportion (58%) said that supermarkets should do more to reduce their carbon emissions (i.e. by reducing food waste, offering more meat-free options and reducing unnecessary packaging)
Nearly half (47%) said that there should be more local options for recycling and composting.
Over a third (35%) said more people should have the option of growing their own food, with green spaces made available for biodiversity and food growing.
We believe that we can build something better.
We believe communities have a vital role in designing and creating solutions to these issues. That’s why we’re launching a trailblazing new project in Tower Hamlets, which will bring people together to explore how these barriers can be overcome. Over the next 5 years, Just FACT will be designing and implementing solutions to improve the local food system. Local partners will be creating closed loop food systems, food co-ops, community orchards, water irrigation systems, plastic free action plans, young people’s programmes, composting schemes and more. We’ll be developing a tried and tested ‘blueprint’ for environmentally sustainable and socially just food system, which has been designed by and for the people using it – our diverse communities in Tower Hamlets. And though the focus is local, our ambition is to create a genuinely groundbreaking model for how urban areas can transition to a just food system that not only works in Tower Hamlets, but can be rolled out in other urban areas like ours. To make all of this possible we need as many people as possible to pitch in. So sign up to our mailing list for updates on how you can get involved. Sign up to our mailing list for updates on how you can get involved.
Find out more about the JUST FACT PROJECT
