Research

People and food

Work package 2 focuses on how private and public actors in the meal sector can drive the transition to sustainable and resilient PLATE meals. How can we change consumption patterns in practice? How can we encourage people to choose meals that benefit health, the environment, and preparedness?

The research analyses how this transition can be:

• Socially acceptable – meals must fit into everyday life.
• Economically viable – solutions must be realistic.
• Effective – they must genuinely influence what people choose to eat.

We study incentives, policy instruments, and working methods in restaurants, the public sector, and food businesses. The focus is on how norms, supply, and pricing can make the resilient choice the obvious one.

Supplier chains and distribution

Work package 3 analyses supplier networks, distribution, and food supply chains. How can we build resilient supply chains without compromising efficiency and competitiveness?

The research explores:

• How can supply chains be diversified geographically and structurally?
  
• What is the impact of regionalisation on resilience and supply capacity?
  
• Which strategies reduce vulnerability without increasing costs?
• How can inventory management, forecasting, and reduced food waste strengthen public meal services?
  
• How can the infrastructure of the public meal sector be utilised in times of crisis?
  
• What role can the private meal sector and small-scale artisan production play in food preparedness?

The goal is to enhance preparedness and resilience across the entire food supply chain.

The system’s competitiveness

Work package 4 analyses how crises, trade, and policy affect the competitiveness and resilience of the Swedish food system. What are the costs of strengthening preparedness, and what are the costs of failing to do so?

The research examines:

• How imports, production costs, and prices are impacted by different types of crises.
  
• The economic consequences of measures aimed at increasing resilience.
  
• How policies designed to enhance preparedness affect raw material prices and food availability.
  
• The impact on the competitiveness of Swedish food sector actors.
  

The work package develops policy recommendations on which measures deliver the greatest resilience at the lowest cost, contributing to a stronger and more sustainable food system.

The challenges of transformation

Work package 5 focuses on the broader challenges and opportunities in the transition towards a sustainable and resilient food system. What forces are driving change, and what forces are impeding it?

The research examines, among other things:

• The systemic risks facing the food system.
  
• How gastronomy can contribute to the transformation by leveraging taste, culinary creativity, and the influence of chefs to overcome barriers,
  
• The role of music festivals, artists, sporting events, and athletes as catalysts for change.
• How learning and relationship-building can be promoted to support the transition.
  

The aim is to understand how culture, role models, and experiences can accelerate the transition and reduce resistance to sustainable and resilient meals.