In the first three years of activities, PLAN’EAT has made substantial progress toward enabling healthier and more sustainable food systems in Europe.
1. Engagement: 9 Living Labs (LLs) and 5 Consultation Working Groups were established, involving 2,468 citizens and 592 food system actors. A dedicated methodology and toolbox for setting up and managing LLs was created, including participatory and stakeholder engagement tools. Collaboration is maintained through regular meetings and co-creation workshops, fostering local adaptation and knowledge exchange.
2. Mapping the Food System: The European situation on the transition to sustainable diets was analysed through literature reviews, data collection, and stakeholder surveys involving citizens, food chain actors, healthcare professionals, educators, and policymakers. Nutritional data from 11 EU countries were compiled into country snapshots, and dietary patterns for nine target groups were mapped using EFSA data, forming a central database. Each LL applied a citizen-science “lived experience” approach to map perceived food environments through surveys, photo elicitation, and focus groups. This work supported the creation of an EU food system map, identifying key policy leverage points and cross-level synergies.
3. TCA Impact, Applications and Policy Integration: Using the True Cost Accounting (TCA) database, the environmental, health, and social impacts of foods consumed in the EU were assessed, identifying high-impact foods with negative externalities. Based on this analysis, the environmental and health costs, social risks, and affordability of diets were analysed in Germany, Ireland, and France for current diets, national recommendations, and the planetary health diet. A meta-analysis of foresight scenarios and policy recommendations promoted integrating TCA into agri-food policies, supporting a systems-thinking approach toward sustainable and healthy diets.
4. Factors and Interventions: Micro- and meso-level surveys identified barriers and enablers of the selected behaviours, informing a consumer intervention toolbox and a solution protocol for food chain actors.
PLAN’EAT advanced interventions at all levels:
- Macro: organisation of Food Policy Summits and definition of 20 policy proposals plus a roadmap toward an EU Food Policy Council.
- Meso: co-creation with food chain actors delivered 30 innovative solutions, including nudging in preschools, escape games in supermarkets, and sustainable cereal and legume value chains with traceability tools.
- Micro: development of a behaviour-change toolbox, decision-tree algorithms for personalised nutrition advice, clinical trials, and specific interventions to increase fruit, vegetable, and legume intake. Additional results include an innovative framework for the development of food-based dietary guidelines, a web-based nutrition app, and an educational toolbox for educators and schools.
5. Management and Dissemination: The Data Management Plan was updated during RP2, new coordination tools were implemented, and the first reporting period concluded successfully. All project outcomes are available on the PLAN’EAT website, and the Knowledge Center, launched in September 2025, will continue to be updated with future results.
