| Markets | Germany |
| Organization | Federation of German Food and Drink Industries (BVE) |
| Topic | Sustainability |
The achievement of more ambitious sustainability goals has become an increasingly important factor in recent years. The present study shows how the German food and drink industries is responding to consumers’ desire for more transparency and a wider choice of sustainable food. It also examines the industry’s sustainability efforts when it comes to packaging and reducing food losses. Main insights of the study: 1) 3 out of 4 German consumers attach considerable importance to having product information about food and every second consumer is also interested in additional information about the production and origin of the raw ingredients; 2) in addition to already established labels such as “free from additives” and “organic”, information on fair working conditions, animal welfare and sustainable procurement and production of raw ingredients is increasingly playing a role as a purchase criterion; 3) around one in four German consumers would use a QR code on food products; 4) the number of market launches of meat and dairy substitutes has risen sharply in recent years; 5) consumers do not want to give up meat completely, but meat should be sustainable. The number of new products with ethical claims is growing accordingly; 6) manufacturers' sustainability strategies encourage a reduction in the amount of plastic and a higher recycled content packaging they use; 7) food and drink manufacturers are making an important contribution to combating food losses through upcycling.
