Ihe “national strategy for food, nutrition and climate” (Snanc), currently being prepared, will seal French food policy by 2030. It has given rise to numerous public contributions and more discreet negotiations on the part of economic, institutional, associative or political actors.
While food policies have resulted, since the post-war period, from co-management between the agro-industrial sector and the public authorities, the Snanc can mark an evolution, provided that it does not remain hostage to particular interests.
The explicit consideration of climate and nutrition issues in food policy signals two strong requirements, based on scientific data. Firstly, an ecological requirement: the agro-industrial model, from which comes the vast majority of food consumed in France, is based on a specialized and standardized agriculture that makes massive use of chemicals and fossil fuels. Its damage in terms of the greenhouse effect as well as on ecosystems and biodiversity, on the quality of air and water, are major. Scientists have been warning about these problems for decades.
Too greasy, too salty, too sweet
Next, health and nutritional requirements: in addition to agricultural workers and local residents, consumers see their health threatened by pesticide residues, food additives and agri-food processing methods. Consumers are also victims of their “food environment”, ie of the elements that lead them to buy certain products rather than others (accessibility in stores, marketing strategies, distribution logic, etc.).
The French are led to eat too fat, too salty, too sweet, too processed, and to eat too many products of animal origin, meat in particular. Food-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease or obesity, are exploding. Here again, the scientific consensus is very broad and researchers are warning.
In this context, the Snanc must commit France to a decisive reorientation. It requires strong economic incentives so that farmers can change their production model. It requires manufacturers and distributors to take responsibility for building the food system, through innovative initiatives and binding regulations, in terms of banning advertising for certain products, for example. We can no longer place all the responsibility for their food on consumers alone.
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