HSFOOD4ALL: Healthy & Sustainable Food for All through Agri-food system reconfiguration, Labelling, Literacy, and Inclusive environments

With the support of:

HSFood4ALL develops innovative tools and communication formats that integrate health, environmental, and social information about food. By combining data integration, consumer research, and real-world testing, the project aims to help consumers make healthier and more sustainable food choices while enabling producers to better communicate and valorise their sustainability efforts.

Why this project?

Healthy and sustainable food is high on the societal agenda. Yet consumers often struggle to make informed choices, as the health, environmental and social impacts of food are typically assessed and communicated separately. At the same time, food producers face challenges in effectively demonstrating the value and impact of their sustainability efforts.

Meanwhile, vast amounts of data are available on nutrition, sustainability, consumer behaviour and food production. However, these data remain scattered across different sources and are rarely transformed into meaningful insights that can support decision-making.

This project aims to bridge that gap by bringing together data from different domains, identifying data gaps, and, where necessary, filling them through targeted primary data collection. The resulting evidence base will then be translated into practical communication and assessment tools. To this end, the project will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders across the food sector to determine which data can be provided in a feasible and cost-effective manner. By doing so, it seeks to empower consumers to make healthier and more sustainable food choices, increase transparency around food production, and support the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient food system.

Research approach and expected results

HSFood4ALL is a Strategic Basic Research (SBO) project that supports the transition towards healthier and more sustainable food consumption. The project will develop an integrated database that brings together information on food products, sustainability, health, and consumer behaviour across disciplines. In addition, consumer profiles will be developed to gain insight into motivations, information needs, and behaviour.

Based on these insights, new layered communication formats and labels will be developed that combine nutritional, environmental, and social information. The effectiveness of these formats will be evaluated through qualitative and quantitative research on behavioural impact. Citizen labs will explore how food environments can support healthy and sustainable choices across different socio-economic groups.

The project will result in a unique integrated database, new insights into consumer behaviour, validated communication and labelling concepts, and recommendations for companies, civil society organisations, and public authorities seeking to support the transition towards a healthier and more sustainable food system.

Target group

The results of HSFood4ALL are relevant to a wide range of stakeholders across the agri-food system. Consumers will gain access to clear, trustworthy and personalised information on the health and sustainability impacts of food. Retailers can implement innovative labels and nudges to encourage healthier and more sustainable food choices. Food companies will benefit from consumer insights and new communication formats that help showcase and valorise their sustainability efforts. Policymakers will receive evidence-based recommendations to support coherent food and sustainability policies. Sector organisations and innovation platforms can use the project outcomes to facilitate knowledge transfer and accelerate innovation across the agri-food value chain.

Projectpartners

KU Leuven:

Division of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, Department of Earth & environmenteal sciences
Division Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism
Division Mechatronics, Biostatistics and sensors, Department of Biosystems
Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies

ILVO:

Division Technology and food
Division Social sciences

Arteveldehogeschool:

Division Ecological and inclusive Transition

Flanders’ FOOD acts as a subcontractor within HSFood4All, supporting the project with knowledge dissemination and the valorisation of results. Leveraging its network within the food industry, Flanders’ FOOD facilitates the transfer of project insights and outcomes to relevant companies and stakeholders.

Keen to join?

The project runs over four years and brings together researchers, companies, retailers, policymakers, and civil society organisations to work on healthier and more sustainable food systems. Through an advisory committee, workshops, roundtable discussions, and citizen labs, stakeholders will have the opportunity to contribute to the research activities and provide input on the tools and solutions developed within the project.