How can different actors build a sustainable and health‑promoting food system?

Many actors share responsibility for promoting healthy and sustainable nutrition in Finland.

The state, wellbeing services counties and municipalities are responsible for creating the structures and policy instruments that make healthy and sustainable food choices possible. Food service providers, the food industry and retail play a direct role in determining what options are available and how attractive they are.

The education sector, research institutes and civil society organisations also have an important role in disseminating information and strengthening competence.

Our food environment does not support health-promoting choices – structural policy measures are needed

To develop the food environment in a way that supports health-promoting choices, structural policy measures are needed that reach the entire population.

THL aims to promote a comprehensive health-based food tax that includes an excise tax on unhealthy foods high in saturated fat, sugar, or salt, as well as a reduction in the tax rate for health-promoting products, namely vegetables, fruits, and berries.

Health-based taxation serves several purposes: increasing the retail prices of unhealthy foods and thereby reducing their consumption; strengthening the message about the importance of a health-promoting diet; encouraging the food industry’s product development in a healthier direction; and reducing risk factors for non-communicable diseases across the entire population.

A health-based food tax should be linked as part of a broader set of policy instruments, such as:

• restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods
• developing clear front-of-package nutrition labeling that reflects the nutritional quality of products
• regulating the placement of unhealthy foods (choice architecture)
• promoting the availability of healthier alternatives.

Together, these measures form a coherent whole that supports population health, prevents non-communicable diseases, and promotes more equitable dietary choices throughout society.

The retail sector and the food industry can promote sustainable and healthy dietary choices more actively than at present 

Retailers and the food industry can guide consumers towards sustainable and healthy food choices more actively than at present. Product selection and placement, packaging labels, advertising and online grocery services are all parts of a modifiable food environment.

The structural policy measures supported by THL, such as health-based taxation, restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods - especially to children and young people - and regulating the placement of unhealthy foods, steer the actions of the retail sector and the food industry towards a more sustainable and healthier food environment.

The more of the available options comply with dietary recommendations, the easier they are to choose, and the more visible, appealing and affordable they are, the more likely they are to be consumed.

The most effective measures reduce the need for active effort from consumers. They can also steer eating habits in a healthier direction without requiring customers to consciously aim for change.

The actions of retail and the food industry have a significant impact, as the sustainability of the food system and its potential to promote population health largely develops through everyday choices.

Developing public food services to influence eating habits

A wide range of Finns of different ages use public food services, especially children and young people, who are particularly receptive to learning new dietary habits.

Responsible food services consider not only dietary recommendations but also environmental and ethical aspects throughout their operations – from the choice of ingredients to food preparation and serving, waste reduction and to choices regarding utensils, packaging, and other materials.

The state, municipalities and wellbeing services counties are responsible for allocating sufficient resources for organising food services and for promoting nutritional quality through procurement criteria.

Nutritional quality requirements should be included in contracts with service providers. The professional skills of food service personnel must also be ensured. Nutritional quality and sustainability must be taken into account in food procurement.

Sustainably implemented public food services also support security of supply and self‑sufficiency.