Press Release | 15th of December 2022 | sn

Majority Feels Food Industry Has a Duty to Stand Up for Biodiversity

A first-ever consumer survey on the relationship between food production and biodiversity reveals knowledge deficits and a desire for more information in stores

At 85 percent, a clear majority of citizens consider it important for companies in the food industry to be committed to preserving biodiversity. 79 percent expect food producers to inform customers about what they are doing to protect biodiversity. The considerable relevance of this topic is also reflected by the fact that the preservation of biological diversity is important to an equally clear majority of 91 percent. 55 percent even expect consequences for their personal lives as a result of a decrease in biodiversity. However, although great importance is ascribed to biodiversity, only 17 percent know exactly what biodiversity is, and many are uncertain about how to contribute to its preservation.

These are some of the key findings of a representative online survey conducted as part of the "BioVal" research project at the Center for Technology and Society (ZTG) at TU Berlin in June 2022. A total of 1,028 consumers between the ages of 18 and 75 were surveyed throughout Germany. The BioVal (Biodiversity Valuing & Valuation) collaborative research project aims to identify and systematically reduce the negative impacts of food production on biodiversity. The attitudes identified in the survey provide an important starting point for developing measures.

Germany enters uncharted territory

"With our survey, we wanted to find out the extent consumers are aware that food production affects biodiversity, what their attitudes are toward preserving biodiversity, and how the issue impacts their personal behavior. There have been hardly any findings on this so far," says Uta Böhm, who works as a research associate at the ZTG and designed the survey.

The survey identified a clear/major knowledge gap. Only 17 percent of respondents know the correct definition of biodiversity. 40 percent are not aware or only aware to a limited extent that biodiversity is necessary for food production. Overall, 84 percent said they were not well informed or only somewhat informed about the topic of biodiversity. 61 percent would like more information about the impact of products on biodiversity when buying food, preferably on product packaging (87 percent).

Are consumers willing to take action?

93 percent consider the preservation of biodiversity to be important, primarily in order to cope with the effects of climate change. As a result, consumers hold not only the food industry but also policymakers and farmers accountable for the protection of biodiversity.

The importance of biodiversity to respondents is also demonstrated by the fact that many are prepared to contribute to its protection through their own behavior. Only eleven percent agreed with the following statement: “I don't want to restrict myself to protect biodiversity.” 71 percent would choose products that are more biodiversity-friendly when buying food, and 64 percent are willing to pay a little more for biodiversity-friendly food. “Our survey suggests that many people are willing to change their behavior and spend more money. Whether this could actually translate into changing people's shopping habits is something we will be investigating in another experimental survey using practical product ideas," explains Uta Böhm.

Offering biodiversity-friendly products

The high relevance of the topic for consumers makes it necessary for the food industry and retailers to provide biodiversity-friendly products, for example by selecting suppliers who do not use pesticides and fertilizers in the cultivation of fruit and vegetables or who plant wildflower strips. They also need to establish clear and understandable communication highlighting their commitment to biodiversity preservation. Consumers must be able to easily find these products in stores if they are to reach for them when doing their shopping. Companies that take on the challenge should, however, receive political and financial support. Additionally, the existing knowledge and information deficit can be addressed through environmental education for different target groups. “The survey also made one thing clear: The preservation of biodiversity is perceived as a task that can only be tackled jointly with the participation of all citizens and in global cooperation. A major role is attributed not only to politics but also to the food industry, food retailers and the agricultural sector," concludes Böhm. 

The "BioVal" project is a cooperation between TU Berlin, Witten/Herdecke University, Bochum University of Applied Sciences, Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co.KG, FRoSTA AG and Seeberger GmbH. BioVal is being funded between November 2021 and October 2024 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of its Research Initiative for the Conservation of Biodiversity.

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