What are the hidden costs of our current food systems?

A new report from a group of French organisations shed some light on the injustices related to the national food system and policies.

“The unfair price of our food – What costs for society and the planet?” (in French only) reveals that in 2021, 48 billion euros of public spending was allocated to keep French agriculture and food infrastructure running. An additional 19 billion was spent to offset the negative effects of the whole system -of which 12 billion on health only.

The report was presented at the end of September in Paris, at the second meeting of the French Alliance for Food and Farming transition (ALTAA) that reunites civil society organisations (CSOs), local authorities, research institutions, businesses and community organisations to strengthen their skills and actions on this topic. During the event, some solutions were put to the table: a framework law on the right to healthy food, actions to regulate advertising and “maisons de l’alimentation” (local food centres).

Municipalities leading the way towards sustainable food systems

Local authorities have a key role to play, to make sure healthy food options are available to all, and to guide residents towards healthy, sustainable eating habits. Local food centres are already implemented in many cities (Energy Cities’ Belgian members Charleroi and Liege are among those) can be a powerful awareness raising and educational tool.

Food education was at the centre of the presentation by Katie Palmer from Food Sense Wales, a national organisation from the UK, established “to drive forward a cross-sector approach to the food system in Wales”. She presented “Food & Fun” a school programme originated in the city of Cardiff and now extended nation-wide. “Food& Fun” offers children in disadvantaged areas of Wales healthy food and nutritional education, physical activity, enrichment sessions and access to healthy meals during the summer vacations.

We need to act now

Experts agree we need to act now! New coalitions of players need to be imagined, to bring new perspectives and to scale up already tested solutions from the local to the national level. The cost of outdated food policies is too high for our pockets, for the planet, but primarily for our health.