Dutch plant-based food manufacturer Schouten Europe has unveiled a new plant-based tuna product this month. The product marks a “significant step forward” in texture and taste compared to a previously introduced plant-based tuna innovation from the company, product manager Annemiek Vervoot said. “We are confident this new product will meet consumer expectations even more effectively,” she commented. “Many tuna species are heavily overfished and some, such as bluefin tuna, are even threatened with extinction. Our new plant-based tuna has the same structure and taste as real tuna.” The product is ready-to-eat cold, enabling versatility and convenience, and is available chilled in 3.5kg or 1kg bags with a minimum shelf life of three months. The company has been actively enhancing its Classics range, which offers a variety of products designed to replicate popular meat and fish favourites. It recently launched a new sausage product made with an innovative alt-fat ingredient for added juiciness, and featuring a realistic casing. “We firmly believe that continuous improvement of these products will drive greater consumer acceptance,” said Vervoot. The new tuna product was showcased at the 2025 Anuga trade fair in Cologne, Germany, from 4-8 October.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have today (8 October 2025) voted to restrict the labelling of plant-based products with meaty words such as ‘burger’ and ‘sausage’. The plenary session saw a majority vote – 355 votes for, 247 against, and 30 abstentions – for the introduction of new labelling restrictions, which would see the meaty words reserved exclusively for products that contain animal meat. If the ban goes ahead following upcoming talks with the Council of the European Union, both plant-based and cell-cultured products (meat grown in bioreactors using real animal cells) will be prohibited from using such words. The vote comes amid a nearly decade-long debate around the use of meat- and and dairy-related terms for labelling and naming plant-based products, with meat and dairy industry representatives seeking to protect animal agriculture and claiming that such labelling is misleading to consumers. This latest vote comes as part of proposed changes to the Common Agricultural Policy, led by MEP Céline Imart, which seek to protect the agriculture industry. It gathered a majority vote from the European Parliament Agriculture Committee last month , and talks with member states on the final legislative text are scheduled to begin next week (14 October). "Consumers are not confused" The move has drawn significant criticism from key figures within the European plant-based food and beverage industry. Jasmijn de Boo, global CEO of industry awareness organisation ProVeg International, described the vote by the EU Parliament as “disappointing”. She commented: “Plant-based foods are, and always will be, an essential part of EU agriculture, its economy and its growth…Europe is the biggest consumer market globally for plant-based meat alternatives, a market from which EU farmers will benefit hugely as it creates higher-value markets for pulses, soy, wheat, fungi, nuts, and vegetables – many of which are already grown in Europe.” “Legumes also support better soil health and reduce fertiliser needs, lowering production costs. So there are both economic and environmental benefits to promoting, rather restricting, the sale of plant-based foods.” Additionally, de Boo stated that consumers are not confused by “meaty” labelling of plant-based foods and that the EU already has “robust regulation in place to protect consumers from misleading labels”. The debate presses on The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) emphasised this same sentiment toward the end of last year , before two similar decrees seeking to ban ‘meaty words’ on plant-based products were annulled in France in early 2025 . The CJEU said EU law already provides sufficient regulations to protect consumers, stating that an EU member state will only be able to prohibit the use of terms traditionally linked to animal-derived products for plant-based foods if the country has established a specific legal name for such products. This earlier decree was consulted on with the CJEU after France’s Council of State expressed concerns that it could cause ‘serious and immediate’ harm to manufacturers selling plant-based protein products in France. At the time of the CJEU’s ruling, ProVeg’s de Boo said that EU member states legally defining descriptive meat words, such as sausage or burger, would only cause more confusion for consumers and the single market, as defining such terms depends on cultural and linguistic references. Industry pushback Protesting against the EU’s latest plans, over 200 organisations – comprising food manufacturers, brands and environmental NGOs – launched a campaign earlier this month titled ‘No Confusion,’ seeking to prevent the ban from being implemented and calling on MEPs to reject the proposal. Rafael Pinto, senior policy manager at European Vegetarian Union, said: “These terms help consumers understand how to cook and enjoy sustainable alternatives. Banning them only creates confusion and slows down Europe’s transition to healthier, climate-friendly diets.” Roberta Alessandrini, director of the Dietary Guidelines Initiative at the Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN International), also described the ban as an “unnecessary barrier,” commenting: “Fortified plant-based alternatives offer a tangible opportunity to help people reduce their consumption of processed meat, which is strongly linked to colorectal cancer and other major diseases. These products are also convenient and environmentally sustainable.” “Concrete policy actions are needed to improve the health of both people and the planet, and this decision undermines those efforts.” Edwin Bark, senior vice president at plant-based meat alternative brand Redefine Meat, said that the industry is coming together and "certainly won't face this lying down". He added: "We’re extremely disappointed to hear this verdict. Ultimately, this ruling will stifle plant-based innovation, at a time when people are needing to reevaluate their diet and meat intake for the future of our planet." "A name change also poses another hurdle in between plant-based meat and its target meat-eaters and flexitarian consumers, who may be less inclined or incentivised to try it. While consumer confusion is cited as a primary reason behind this decision, there doesn’t appear to be much supporting this – during my ten-year career in the plant-based sector I've yet to hear this complaint – so it’s baffling to me that this has escalated to this extent."

Oatly has launched its first-ever Future of Taste Report , identifying key beverage trends it expects to see in the coming years ahead. The report was compiled following interviews with hundreds of baristas and drinks experts from across 23 countries, with quantitative trends data compiled by research platform CultureLab. It identifies five key trends expected on menus and coffee spots in the coming months and years, spotlighting the flavours and formats set to shape future food and beverage culture. The global flavour exchange Oatly pointed to data showing that online searches for more exotic ingredients like ube, pandan and hojicha are all on the rise – while ‘matcha mania’ has sparked increasing interest in East and Southeast Asian ingredients within the beverage space. In particular, Oatly said it expects to see more flavours, rituals and traditions from Asia on Western café menus. Conscious indulgence Daily google impressions for decaf have grown by 90 times in 2025 according to CultureLab’s data. Oatly predicts the next generation of drinks will continue to focus on balance, with the popularity of decaf and low-sugar beverages set to surge in 2026. This aligns with increasing consumer demand for mindful, health-conscious options. Fibre ‘coming for protein’s crown’ A social media trend dubbed ‘Fibremaxxing’ spiked this summer after first emerging on TikTok in autumn 2024, encouraging people to increase their daily fibre intake to aid with digestive health and support weight management. Page views for articles mentioning the term jumped by a staggering 9500% between June-July 2025. At the same time, CultureLab’s data showed that prebiotics are following the same growth pattern and trajectory as protein, which has seen a huge boom in popularity within functional food formulations in recent years, suggesting gut health will continue to surge further into the mainstream. Oatly expects this will result in the development of more products with fibre-packed ingredients like chia seeds, as well as fermented offerings, with drinks like Tepache – a centuries-old Mexican beverage made with fermented pineapple – poised to grow in popularity around the world. Destination drinks As globalisation is creating a landscape where the same menus appear in different cities, Oatly said that creative offerings invented and sold exclusively by a particular café are booming in popularity. As a result, unique local ingredients – such as Australian lemon myrtle and pepperberries, or Finnish forest berries – will become ‘cultural currency’ for a generation hooked on novelty, the alt-milk maker predicted. With 85% of baristas agreeing that consumer tastes are becoming more adventurous, the report identified provenance and distinctiveness as USPs setting signature drink offerings apart. Matcha and beyond The rise in matcha has shown no signs of slowing, but Oatly pointed out that it may have reached its peak – though the jury is still out, emerging consensus suggests it has staying power, the brand noted. However, some baristas already look to be lining up innovative new speciality tea offerings with potential to become the next big trend. Earl Grey was under the spotlight in cocktails and drinks in the US earlier this year, while oolong and jasmine varieties from China are rising in popularity and specialised milk tea shops are popping up across Shanghai. In the UK, the report findings have been backed by data from Censuswide’s poll of 2000 consumers, commissioned by Oatly. When asked which of the new flavours mentioned in the report British consumers would most like to try, lemon myrtle (24%) and pepperberry (19%) came out ahead of matcha (16%) and black sesame (14%). Despite the rising global popularity, over a third (35%) of UK consumers are yet to try any of the new wave of Asian-inspired ingredients, with just 3% having sampled shiso and 4% trying pandan in the past 12 months. The research also showed that just over six in ten Brits (61%) have already cut back or considered cutting back on caffeine, particularly men (62%). When asked what they’d swap coffee out for, green tea (34%) and decaf coffee (32%) led the way, with a third of Gen Z (33%) selecting matcha as their slow-release caffeine fix. Over half (54%) said TikTok’s ‘fibremaxxing’ trend or the growing focus on fibre has influenced them, with millennials the most likely (28%) to be actively increasing their fibre intake. Rowena Roos, Oatly global head of food and drinks experience, said: “This report paints a vibrant picture of where beverage trends are heading. People’s daily drink choices, especially younger generations, are being shaped by a world in flux. We’re seeing drink trends go viral from London to Seoul, and technology is making it easier to order, customise and share these signature moments.” She added: “Health, sustainability trends and global flavours are all blending as a generation raised online is seeking both identity and connection in every cup. At Oatly, we’re working with coffee and hospitality partners to turn these global taste trends into incredible on-menu experiences.”

Spx Flow has launched a new technology, SteamRecycle, aimed at improving sustainability in ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing for the plant-based, dairy and nutritional beverage sectors. This system claims to recover and reuse 100% of the steam generated during the infusion UHT process, potentially reducing carbon dioxide emissions and water usage significantly. The SteamRecycle system enables producers to eliminate the need for fresh steam after start-up, a change that could lead to a reduction of up to 1,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, based on an operational model of 6,000 hours per year. Additionally, the technology may decrease water recirculation needs by as much as 33 cubic metres per hour compared to conventional infusion UHT systems. Operational mechanism and benefits: Closed-loop system : The technology utilises mechanical vapor compressors to recover low-pressure steam, converting it into high-pressure steam for reuse. This closed-loop approach minimises the reliance on fresh steam, thereby lowering energy consumption and emissions throughout the production process. Cost implications : The integration of SteamRecycle is projected to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs associated with steam and energy use. Spx Flow estimates a payback period of approximately four to five years, contingent on local energy prices. Product quality maintenance: The infusion UHT process is known for its ability to deliver high-quality products with extended run times. The SteamRecycle system aims to preserve these quality standards while reducing energy demands. Gerard Lang, VP of process solutions and strategy at Spx Flow, noted the increasing pressure on food and beverage manufacturers to balance product quality with sustainability. “By recycling steam for greater cost efficiency, producers can continue creating high-quality products and use fewer resources simultaneously,” Lang commented, highlighting the need for solutions that align operational goals with sustainability efforts.

In the US, Senators John Fetterman and Joni Ernst have reintroduced a bill seeking to restrict the labelling of egg alternative products. The bicameral bill would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prohibit egg alternative brands from using terms it says are ‘misleading’ to consumers. Under the Consistent Egg Labels Act, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act would be amended to define the market name for an egg or egg product to mean ‘only if the food is the reproductive output of avian poultry species, including an albumen or yolk that is, or was at any point, encased in a calcium-based shell’. This would prevent alternative products, such as those made from plant-based ingredients or using precision fermentation techniques, from using the name ‘egg’ in the branding and labelling of their products across the country. © Eat Just/Just Egg New alternatives would not be permitted to enter the market using ‘egg’ as a product name, and the FDA would be required to issue guidance for nationwide enforcement of ‘mislabelled’ egg alternatives within 180 days of enactment. Senator Fetterman, a member of the Democratic Party serving as senior Senator for Pennsylvania, said the act would help both farmers and consumers by ensuring eggs are “labelled clearly and fairly” in stores. “In the age-old debate between the chicken or the egg, one thing is for sure: eggs don’t come from plants,” added Senator Ernst, republican Senator from Iowa. “While Iowa farmers work hard to put healthy and affordable eggs on our tables, labeling plant-based products as ‘eggs’ undermines that work.” © The Every Co The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for consideration and will now be subject to a vote determining whether it will progress further. Currently, there are no legal requirements for egg alternatives to be clearly distinguished from eggs and egg products in the US. If the recent bill becomes law, the FDA would be required to report to Congress two years after enactment on actions taken with respect to ‘misbranded’ egg alternative products.   Top image: © Eat Just/Just Egg

Rude Health has launched a new premium barista milk alternative range, debuting in two varieties – pistachio and hazelnut – this month (October 2025). The line is claimed to offer two first-to-market innovations for the UK alt-milk category – the pistachio variety positions itself as the only pistachio barista drink in the country that is made with real pistachios, while the hazelnut is claimed to be the only one made with real hazelnuts. Each of the premium drinks is crafted by blending real nuts with oats and a pinch of salt to create a ‘luxurious, nutty and decadently creamy’ offering, Rude Health said. They aim to stand apart from other nut drinks in the category, which often rely on flavourings, oils and additives to create a nutty taste and texture instead of using real nuts. Sam Maguire, Rude Health’s UK country lead, said the new drinks contain no flavourings, oils, gums or added sugar, aligning with growing demand for cleaner label products in the plant-based beverage – and broader F&B – category. “We’re seeing big shifts in demand for taste, transparency and premium options,” Maguire commented. “Our new range delivers on this, stepping up to match premiumisation in the coffee aisle.” The launch follows alt-dairy company Oddlygood Group’s acquisition of Rude Health last year , and is backed by insights from the company’s recent Plant-based Glass Ceiling Report. The research highlights strong potential for category growth, with flavour innovation and quality perceptions emerging as key drivers. Maguire added: “By pairing Rude Health’s deep understanding of UK consumers with the scale and innovation power of the Oddlygood Group, we can bring products to market that help push the boundaries of the category – offering a premium clean-deck Barista range that’s free from oils, gums and syrups, yet still delivers a truly luxurious experience.” The Plant-based Glass Ceiling Report found that interest in flavoured options is particularly high, with 66% of low users and 58% of lapsed users ken to explore new varieties such as trending pistachio. Natural ingredients are also front of mind, with more than a quarter of low users (27%) actively seeking them. By combining flavour-led innovation with a focus on clean, premium ingredients, Rude Health aims to re-engage lapsed and low users while also providing exciting new options for its existing customers. While the plant-based drinks market has dropped 0.8% value in the last year, Rude Health reported 22% year-on-year growth. This reflects the growing demand for clean label, natural formulations within the category, with Rude Health’s innovation centering around simple ingredients and additive-free products. Nina Gilsvik, global CMO at Oddlygood Group, said: “The festive season is one of the biggest moments of the year for consumers to explore new tastes and treat themselves, which makes it the perfect time to launch our new premium barista range. We see good headroom for growth in everyday indulgence and the festive season gives us a unique opportunity.” The new premium barista products will be available at Waitrose stores across the UK from 12 October, with an RRP of £3.95 per 1L carton.

Italian food-tech company Foreverland, a producer of cocoa-free chocolate alternatives, has expanded its production capacity with the opening of its first manufacturing plant in Puglia, Italy. The facility will have the capacity to produce over 500 tonnes of Choruba, the start-up’s flagship chocolate alternative ingredient, each year. Choruba is a cocoa-free ingredient made from resilient Mediterranean crops, such as carob, pumpkin seeds and chickpeas. It aims to replicate chocolate’s indulgent flavour and mouthfeel but with a significantly lighter environmental footprint. Through this, Foreverland said it can address both consumer expectations for indulgence and the urgent sustainability challenges facing the cocoa sector – which is being impacted by climate pressures, price volatility and supply shortages – helping manufacturers to reduce reliance on cocoa. The new plant marks a key milestone in Foreverland’s growth strategy. It will provide the company with the capability to run industrial trials with larger clients, secure small and medium-sized business customers, and deliver a steady and scalable supply of cocoa-free chocolate alternatives. The site includes a dedicated pilot fermentation room, enabling the team to test and refine processing steps flexibly, while protecting know-how and validating unit economics. Alongside the new plant, Foreverland has announced a new retail product partnership, the company’s fourth to date. It will team up with Italian protein snack brand Small Giants to launch Choruba Protein Bites – a peanut butter and chocolate-flavoured snack innovation, featuring Small Giants’ yeast-based protein and coated in the Choruba chocolate alternative. The snacks are vegan-friendly, and are priced at €3.29 for a three-pack or €1.99 for a single bar. They are available online and in-store across the Gulliver supermarket chain. Massimo Sabatini, co-founder and CEO of Foreverland, said: “The new plant allows us to work hand in hand with manufacturers, speed up recipe development and bring sustainable chocolate alternatives into everyday products across Europe – all while ensuring we can meet demand at accessible price points”. He added: “Our partnership with Small Giants is a strong example of this next phase, showing how sustainable chocolate alternatives are ready for the mainstream”. Edoardo Imparato, CEO of Small Giants, commented: “Retailers and consumers are looking for real alternatives in categories like chocolate, where sustainability challenges are growing. Through our collaboration with Foreverland, we’re bringing products made with innovative ingredients to market shelves… It’s a concrete step towards making sustainable indulgence the new normal in European supermarkets.” Foreverland, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Milan and Puglia, said it is currently in discussions to expand into France and the Nordics, building on its existing presence in Italy and Germany.

Alt-dairy start-up Climax Foods has rebranded to Bettani Farms; has appointed former Califia Farms CFO, Sandeep Patel, as CEO and chairman; and has raised $6.5 million in Series A funding. Bettani, based in California, US, has developed a protein-rich, non-GMO ingredient platform that is also free from dairy, soy and nuts, for use in plant-based cheese products. Its proprietary protein ingredient, Caseed, is made from regenerative seed crops and mimics the functionality and mouthfeel of dairy casein while remaining 100% plant-based and free from common allergens. According to Bettani, the ingredient’s creamy texture, neutral flavour profile and white colour make it ideally suited for developing a range of protein-rich, dairy-free alternative to popular cheeses like mozzarella, feta, goat’s cheese, cream cheese, brie and blue. It can offer 12-20g of protein per 100g of cheese. Additionally, the start-up said its natural, farm-sourced ingredient can provide a more cost competitive alternative to fermentation-based casein equivalents. The funding round was led by S2G Investments, a multi-stage investment firm focused on scaling solutions across food and agriculture, energy and oceans. It also saw participation from new and existing investors including At One Ventures, Gratitude Railroad, Manta Ray Ventures and Toba Capital. New CEO Patel joins Bettani from Califia Farms, with other previous experience including a role as president and CFO of PopSockets. Sandeep Patel He also brings extensive industry experience across packaged food, agriculture, consumer products and sustainable technologies from his time as a managing director at Goldman Sachs and Barclays, where he advised food industry leaders, entrepreneurs and investors. Under his leadership, Bettani will focus on commercialising Caseed and Caseed-powered cheeses in partnership with frozen food makers, foodservice operators and existing dairy-free cheese brands seeking to improve their formulations. Patel commented: “Bettani is poised to do for pizza what oat milk has done for coffee. Just as oat won coffee over the last five years with its superior taste, mouthfeel, performance and allergen profile, our Caseed-powered cheeses deliver the melt, stretch, texture and flavour consumers crave in pizza and other hot foods – without the allergens and high carbon footprint of dairy.” Sanjeev Krishnan, managing partner at S2G, said: “As Bettani starts this new chapter, we believe it’s clear the company has the strong leadership and vision needed to make protein-rich, dairy-free cheeses commonplace”. “We’re proud to continue to support Bettani and the commercialisation of its technology at a critical time when demand for protein-rich, allergen-free and more sustainable food products is increasing.”

The Compleat Food Group’s Vadasz brand has expanded its range with a trio of live cultured, naturally fermented dips, claimed to be a first-to-market innovation in the UK. The brand’s entry into the dips market follows consumer research showing that 83% of existing pickles and kimchi shoppers would purchase Vadasz-branded dips if available. The range includes Kimchi Houmous, Super Beet Kimchi Dip, and Garlic & Dill Pickle Dip. It has been developed to meet growing demand for healthier and flavourful snacking options. Each dip is plant-based, made with 100% natural ingredients and contains naturally fermented or live cultured and cold brined vegetables as the base. The range aligns with increasing interest in functional, clean label and gut-friendly products. Kimchi Houmous combines chickpeas and seasoned vegetables with Vadasz’s kimchi to create a ‘rich, creamy and perfectly balanced’ dip that offers an umami take on the classic houmous format. It also provides a source of protein, fibre and healthy fats. Super Beet Kimchi Dip blends naturally fermented beetroot, red cabbage, carrot and apple with high-protein, fibre-rich cannellini beans. Vadasz describes the dip as ‘earthy and creamy,’ well-suited for pairing with wholegrain or seed crackers, or as a side with cheese boards. Finally, Garlic & Dill Dip is inspired by Vadasz's well-loved pickles. It combines sauerkraut, pickles and cannellini beans for a tangy and savoury flavour profile. The dip is topped with garlic and dill pickled cucumber, providing the nutritional benefits of cold-brined vegetables. Yvonne Adam, chief marketing officer at The Compleat Food Group, said: “Dips remain a high-volume, high-frequency category, but many products are still dominated by added sugar, preservatives and artificial ingredients”. “With this launch, we’re bringing the Vadasz magic of gut-friendly ingredients and bold flavour to a new part of the chiller with a UK-first. These dips will appeal not only to our core pickle and kimchi shoppers, but also to consumers looking for better-for-you snacking that doesn’t compromise on taste.” The dips are the latest addition to Vadasz range following the launch of its Smacked Cucumbers  and Kimchi Shot  products earlier this year. The new dip line is available from Sainsbury’s and Ocado now, with an RRP of £3.50 per 200g dip.

Lallemand Specialty Cultures has inaugurated a new application research and development laboratory in Rennes, France, relocating its operations from La Ferté-sous-Jouarre to a newly built 400 square-metre facility. The business unit, founded in 2012 and focused on food cultures for dairy, meat and plant-based products, said the move strengthens its capacity for innovation and collaboration with partners. The new site includes 200 square metres of laboratories for the formulation and testing of microorganism-based solutions and for evaluating their performance in conditions similar to industrial production. The facility also houses offices and meeting spaces to support knowledge-sharing. As part of the relocation, Lallemand has transferred its strain collection of more than 2,000 bacteria, yeasts and molds – initiated over a century ago – to Rennes. This collection supports the development of new solutions in areas such as bioprotection, shelf-life extension, and sensory improvement. Current research priorities include bioprotection for dairy and cured meat products, as well as fermentation technologies aimed at enhancing taste and texture in plant-based alternatives. The Rennes laboratory will also continue to work closely with Lallemand’s Blagnac site, which focuses on fermentation processes. Lauriane Fillous, president of Lallemand Specialty Cultures business unit, said: “This laboratory is intended as a meeting point between science and application, between our internal teams and external partners, and between development and the concrete needs of the market". Pablo Alvarez Martin, Lallemand Specialty Cultures' R&D director, added: “This relocation project is fully aligned with our ambition to advance R&D in an environment that encourages exchange and collaboration”.

The Eat-Lancet Commission has today (3 October 2025) released its new Report on Healthy, Sustainable, and Just Food Systems, outlining a roadmap toward a healthier and more sustainable planet. It builds on Eat-Lancet’s earlier 2019 report, which presented the Planetary Health Diet as a dietary framework designed to encourage healthy diets that ensure nutritional adequacy while also reducing environmental impact. The Commission’s new report provides an update, stating that the global context has ‘shifted dramatically’ since the 2019 publication due to factors like the Covid-19 pandemic and soaring food prices amid increasing geopolitical instability. According to the Commission – which comprises a team of experts in nutrition, climate, economics, health, social sciences and agriculture, from more than 35 countries across six continents – shifting global diets could prevent approximately 15 million premature deaths each year. Food systems transformation Transformation of food systems will be vital, the report emphasises, stating that food systems are the largest contributor to the transgression of five planetary boundaries, contributing around 30% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. The planetary boundaries framework defines nine key system processes that regulate life on Earth, with six of these boundaries already being passed: climate, biodiversity, land, freshwater, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, and novel entities (pesticides, antimicrobials and microplastics). Food system change will be essential to achieving improved health and social development outcomes, the Commission said. The report found that fewer than 1% of the world’s population is currently in the ‘safe and just space,’ where people’s rights and food needs are met within planetary boundaries. According to the report, 32% of food systems workers currently earn below a living wage. Meanwhile, the wealthiest 30% of people drive more than 70% of food-related environmental impacts, and despite global calorie sufficiency, more than 1 billion people remain undernourished. Even with a complete global transition away from fossil fuels, the analysis warns that food systems could push temperatures beyond 1.5°C. Johan Rockström, co-chair of the Eat-Lancet Commission and director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said the report sets out the “clearest guidance yet for feeding a growing population” without breaching the planetary boundaries. He commented: “It also exposes the stark winners and losers in today’s food systems, where entrenched power dynamics drive deep inequities. By uniting the latest science on health and climate, it shows that what we put on our plates can save millions of lives, cut billions of tonnes of emissions, halt the loss of biodiversity and create a fairer food system.” The Commission states that investment in the range of $200-500 billion will be required to drive global food systems change. However, it highlights analysis suggesting that reshaping systems could deliver $5 trillion annually through better health, restored ecosystems and climate resilience. It calls for urgent policy action, dietary consumption transformation and a realignment of global financial incentives to achieve these goals. As part of the Commission’s work, 13 independent modelling groups assessed the potential impacts of food systems change on five of the planetary boundaries: climate, land, freshwater, nutrients pollution and novel entities. The analysis integrates diverse datasets, including diet and health outcomes, into a unified framework designed to create a ‘safe and just’ future for 9.6 billion people globally by 2050. This includes areas such as healthier diet adoption, reduced food loss and waste, and improved production practices to reduce environmental pressure. Dietary changes Across all regions, the analysis shows that diets consistently lack sufficient fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and whole grains. It also finds that diets in many regions contain excess meat, dairy, animal fats, sugar and highly processed foods. The 2025 Commission report continues to emphasise a plant-rich diet, with optional, moderate amounts of animal-sourced foods and limited added sugars, saturated fats and salt. The dietary targets aim to provide a global reference point that can guide food system policy while encouraging healthier diets. It recommends a significant decrease in meat consumption – 0-200g maximum (or one serving) of red meat per week, 0-400g for poultry, and 0-700g of fish. A report from the Food Foundation stated that UK adults consume around 93g of meat each day on average, while almost a third of the meat UK consumers eat is processed. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s Agricultural Outlook for 2025-2034 projects a 6% increase in global per capita consumption of animal-sourced foods by 2034. Walter C Willett, Commission co-chair and professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said: “The Commission’s findings reinforce that the Planetary Health Diet is good for both people and the planet. By increasing the production and consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, we can improve health outcomes everywhere while respecting cultural and regional traditions.” Recommendations Willett added that diets are “just one part of the picture,” highlighting eight solutions the Commission sets out in its report as a “practical roadmap to unlock transformation at scale”. These recommendations are: Protect and promote traditional healthy diets Create accessible and affordable food environments that increase demand for healthy diets Implement sustainable production practices that store carbon, create habitat and improve water quality and availability Halt agricultural conversion of intact ecosystems Reduce food loss and waste Secure decent working conditions across the food system Ensure meaningful voice and representation for food systems workers Recognise and protect marginalised groups The report emphasises the need for a fairer distribution of resources, benefits and costs to build the social foundations that enable people’s right to food, decent work and a healthy environment. Each potential solution highlighted is supported by actions identified by the Commission as critical for transforming food systems, such as integrating traditional, healthy foods into dietary guidelines; supporting local seed systems; using food loss and waste; and improving agroecological practices to conserve ecosystems. It also calls for subsidising reforms that make healthy and nutritious foods more accessible, and for regulatory and advocacy mechanisms that support decent work and meaningful representation for food systems workers. Plant-based food awareness organisation ProVeg International welcomed the Commission’s focus on plant-rich diets, but CEO Jasmijn de Boo warned that implantation of the Planetary Health Diet will require policymakers, business and society to work collaboratively. A study supported by ProVeg, published last week in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society journal, evaluated food-based dietary guidelines from 100 countries, and found that most countries are still primarily promoting the consumption of animal-sourced foods. “Whilst we warmly welcome the latest update to the Planetary Health Diet, it is clear there is still much work to be done to ensure countries incorporate the recommendations of this diet into their national dietary guidelines together with an effective implementation strategy,” said de Boo.

Swedish food-tech start-up Saveggy has introduced an additive-free, edible plant-based coating for fresh produce, designed to provide an alternative to plastic packaging. The solution is made from two simple ingredients: rapeseed oil and oat oil. Saveggy believes that scaling the solution could help to significantly reduce plastic use in packaging while contributing to reducing food waste across fresh produce. Founded in 2020 by Vahid Sohrabpour and Arash Fayyazi, Saveggy was born out of frustration over food waste and plastic pollution. Its technology has been developed in close collaboration with Lund University and stakeholders across the value chain. According to Saveggy’s own research, more than 3,000 tonnes of plastic are used for cucumbers each year across the EU. Its technology aims to address this plastic overuse, supporting the EU’s 2030 targets and aligning with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.  Saveggy is also partnering with Aarhus University and is supported by EIT Food, an organisation backed by the EU’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology. The company is launching a one-month pilot for cucumbers in Sweden together with retailer ICA and vegetable grower Odlarna. The test marks a key milestone in the start-up’s journey, transitioning from R&D to commercial scale. With the first industrial machine in place at Odlarna’s facility, and capacity ramping up, Saveggy is preparing for broader launches across Sweden and Europe. Though initially focusing on cucumbers, the solution can also be applied to a wide range of fruits and vegetables, with product development ongoing. Arash Fayyazi, co-founder of Saveggy, said: “Cucumbers highlight the challenge: food waste on one side, plastic-wrapped shelves on the other. Our goal is to reduce food waste and plastic pollution together – with respect for nature, people and the resources that make our food possible.”