Food Dishes for Sustainable Development: A Swedish Food Retail Perspective

Abstract

Current dietary patterns contribute negatively to greenhouse gas emissions and to the increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Earlier research on sustainable food consumption mainly focuses on diets, rather than single meals. Diets are difficult to measure, which is usually executed through self-reporting. This paper aims to identify frequently prepared dishes in a home setting through sales statistics, and how they can be altered to reduce climate impact and increase nutritional value. Commonly prepared food dishes in a home setting among customers of a major food retailer in Sweden were identified through sales statistics. The dishes were altered to reach nutritional and climate impact guidelines. Commonly prepared food dishes exceeded goals for climate boundaries by more than threefold and were not in line with nutritional guidelines. The content of fat, including saturated fat, was too high. Vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and fiber need to be increased. To reduce climate impact and increase nutritional value, the amount of animal-based product need to be reduced and/or exchanged to plant-based alternatives. This research contributes empirically to understandings of how portfolio management decisions influence food consumption based on sales statistics and how nutritional and climate impact guidelines can be applied from a single meal perspective.

Differences in sustainable nutrition behaviour of different generations of Czech consumers

“…In their paper, Torstensson et al (2021) confirm the results of previously conducted studies on food consumption in Sweden by providing a different assessment of sustainable diets based on sales statistics of food retailers rather than self-reporting. Another important finding from this research is that animal products need to be reduced or replaced with plant-based alternatives to reduce the climate impact and increase the nutritional value of the diet.…”

From future diets to dishes: communicating dietary shift associated with a 1.5°C scenario for Brazil, China, Sweden and the United Kingdom

“…The future protein content in diets is subject to many influences, such as shifts in global dietary patterns, technological advancements in food production, and changes in agricultural practices (Bijl et al, 2017;Torstensson et al, 2021). These factors create a complex landscape that makes it challenging to predict specific changes in protein content.…”

“…This study aims to interpret the implications of modelled changes in food demand for protein food items and individual diets in four countries (van Dooren et al, 2015;Bijl et al, 2017;Torstensson et al, 2021): Brazil, China (both rapidly developing), and Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK; developed countries) consistent with a 1.5°C emissions pathway to 2050. The selection of the four nations for analysis aligns with the different low-carbon development pathways outlined by the Centre for Climate Change and Socal Transformations, providing a diverse yet focused lens through which to examine the impact of dietary changes on climate goals (Howarth et al, 2019).…”