Sufficiency Business Strategies in the Food Industry—The Case of Oatly

Abstract

Food is an essential part of our daily lives, but simultaneously, it is a major contributor to environmental issues. The growing world population and changing diets are expected to further exacerbate the negative impact of food production and consumption. This article explores how sufficiency business strategies, focused on moderating consumption levels, can be implemented in the food industry to curb demand and thereby overall resource consumption. First, a literature and practice review are conducted to create a conceptual framework for sufficiency business strategies in the food industry. Second, a case study approach is taken to explore the application of sufficiency strategies at Oatly, a company offering plant-based alternatives to dairy. Semi-structured interviews and review of the company’s sustainability reports are used as key data sources for the case study. This study contributes to research and practice with a novel framework for business sufficiency strategies in the food industry. Although sufficiency implies consumption moderation, it is suggested that when a company substitutes the consumption of a less sustainable option, growth could be desirable. Future research can expand on viable sufficiency strategies for the private sector, but also strategies to engage different stakeholders, such as government, society, and academia, to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable food system.

From Sustainable Global Value Chains to Circular Economy—Different Silos, Different Perspectives, but Many Opportunities to Build Bridges

“…With respect to slowing the loop, recent academic attention has been placed on increasing product lifetime [ 47 ], avoiding planned obsolescence through policy [ 48 ] and business practices, and mapping viable business strategies for sufficiency [ 49 , 50 ]. With respect to regenerating loops, there has been an interest in businesses becoming “net positive,” such as focusing on how they may contribute positively to biodiversity [ 51 ].…”

Circular Food Behaviors: A Literature Review

“…The transition phase involves a mix of linear behaviors and new, circular behaviors that develop in niches. Examples are: purchasing innovative products, such as insect-based foods, upcycled food products [19,37], and foods with edible coatings [55]; purchasing less appreciated products, such as food with a non-standard aesthetics [46] or surplus food [56]; purchasing local and seasonal foods [57]; participating in alternative food networks, as packaging-free grocery shops, community-supported agriculture [57], short food chains [46,58], online groceries shopping [51], food box schemes [51,57], and digital platforms fighting food waste [45]; returning food waste to be upcycled [19,59] in "food-product-as-a-service" approaches [28]; finding new strategies towards circularity, such as food sharing and repurposing [60]; and more radical practices, like dumpster diving [13,61]. The niche experiments that succeed in the transition phase become mainstream in the circular phase-not necessarily by upscaling these experiments since small cases might be multiplied in local communities [57].…”

“…Consumers can learn about the "complexity of food consumption" and the "sustainability and health gains of sustainable diets" [63] (p. 16); they can start to "change their habits regarding the end-life of products" [59] (p. 43) and learn "what can be composted, replanted, or what is suitable for wildlife to eat" [60] (p. 10). They can learn how to interact with food products designed for circularity and change their perception of what "waste" is [56]. This learning can happen through formal education in schools, promotion campaigns in the media [59,64,65], educa-of 27 tion policies promoted by governments [66], or even through companies' educational and engagement efforts [56].…”

“…They can learn how to interact with food products designed for circularity and change their perception of what "waste" is [56]. This learning can happen through formal education in schools, promotion campaigns in the media [59,64,65], educa-of 27 tion policies promoted by governments [66], or even through companies' educational and engagement efforts [56]. It can also occur in niche experiments that educate consumers [57] and develop their skills and knowledge through the exchange between people [62].…”

“…In niche experiments, consumers get informed about their behaviors' impact, develop skills relevant to circular food behaviors [60], and promote these experiments so that they can be upscaled [13]. In circular behaviors, consumers actively and voluntarily engage in circular practices and long-term relationships [56]. They assume responsibility for their behaviors [18,57] and for the design, use, and disposal of products [52,59] and have a set of skills that support circular food behaviors.…”