Pole's plate

The celebration of Earth Day, as every year, is an opportunity to reflect on our impact on the condition of the planet. This April marks the one-year anniversary of the establishment of the Food for the Future Interdisciplinary Center for Analysis and Collaboration. As part of the think tank's activities, the Zymetria research agency conducted a study entitled "A Pole's Plate - The Food Habits of Polish Society." It made it possible to identify five attitudes that reflect the attitude of Polish society towards climate change: Concerned, Indifferent, Committed, Active and Denialist. This classification allows a closer look at the preferences of Polish consumers and an assessment of what actions are needed to support a planetary diet.

The survey "A Pole's Plate - The Eating Habits of Polish Society" was designed to characterize Poles' eating habits and preferences and meat consumption in the context of climate and planet protection. Its results indicate that Polish society can be categorized according to the following segments: Concerned, Indifferent, Committed, Active and Denialist. The survey identified barriers to dietary change toward a planetary diet. These include the price of products that are described as organic, and habits and beliefs, such as the inferior taste of these products.

- Encouraging people to try to change their eating habits toward a planetary diet is an integral part of ensuring food security. It is worth emphasizing that as part of this, it is important not only to maintain access to healthy food, but also to ensure that its production has as little negative impact on the environment as possible. The results of the survey showed that the majority of our society is aware of the need to take action for the planet, but there is still a lot of work to be done in this field. This makes initiatives such as the think tank we are running all the more important," comments Zbigniew Karaczun, Ph.D., one of the founding members of the Food for the Future research and expert platform.

The study identified the following groups:

According to the survey, the natural adopters of the planetary diet include respondents who fall into the Activist group (12% of the population). Consumers in the Committed and Concerned groups (54% in total) are also open to accepting such a diet. Still, the declared diet can be described as traditional, with relatively few people declaring a reduction in meat and dairy consumption. Reaching for plant-based substitutes for animal protein is not common.

- Most consumers are open to including products in their diets that reduce environmental impact. However, there are still many Poles who base their nutrition on a traditional diet. Therefore, it is an important mission to raise awareness that a flexitarian diet reduces the risk of diet-related diseases, so it is not only kinder to the planet, but also to us as consumers, notes Prof. Ewelina Hallmann.

The experts' findings indicate that in the popularization of plant-based products, friendlier prices and the promotion of recipes that will make it easier to compose meals according to the principles of the planetary diet are important factors. The need for education in this area is apparent, also keeping in mind consumer trends.

- The trend picture for the food system is mixed. On the one hand, consumers will expect transparency from producers and offerings that incorporate values related to protecting the planet. At the same time, there is growing confusion about how to assess the health or environmental impact of different foods, says Monika Borycka, a trend researcher, innovation analyst and Future Studies specialist.

Food for the Future is a pioneering research and expert platform that combines the topics of health and proper nutrition with concern for the environment and food security. Among the founders of the think tank, are Zbigniew Karaczun, Ph.D., who specializes in environmental protection, climate, sozology, and ecological policy; Prof. Ewelina Hallmann, Ph.D., who is involved in agricultural sciences, especially in the field of food technology and nutrition, primarily organic food; and Monika Borycka, a respected trend researcher, innovation analyst and specialist in food for the future studies. Dr. Katarzyna Wolnicka, an expert in food and nutrition, is the subject matter consultant. The experts conduct interdisciplinary research in the area of the future of nutrition and its impact on the health of Poles and the environment

The establishment of the think tank was initiated by the DANONE group of companies, which provides expertise in the field of nutritional consumer behavior. Involvement in the development of this initiative, is another step in DANONE companies' dual commitment to economic and social sustainability, including a positive impact on human health and the condition of the planet, as well as the One Planet strategy. One Health, in which the company encourages consumers to make the right food choices - good for both health and the environment.

[1] "Pole's plate - Eating habits of the Polish society," March 2023, research agency Zymetria.

Source: press mat.