It is not enough for consumers to know what they should eat. They also need to be able to afford it.
That is the clear message emerging from the consultation on Food 2040, the European Union's new food research and innovation strategy, which seeks to more closely connect nutrition with public health, the cost of living and the way markets operate.
The report, prepared for the European Commission, brings together responses and written contributions from research institutes, universities, farmers, businesses, government bodies, organisations and citizens.
The direction being outlined is clear: health does not begin in the doctor's office. It begins much earlier, in the field, the factory, the supermarket and in the price consumers see on the shelf.
Information remains essential. Without access and affordability, however, the "healthy choice" risks remaining a privilege.
Health near the top
Improving human health through healthier eating habits ranks second among respondents' priorities, with 44.7%, only slightly behind reducing the environmental and climate footprint of the food chain, which received 46.4%.
This is followed by resilience, crisis preparedness and Europe's strategic autonomy at 44.1%.
Another finding is particularly significant. Nearly 29.6% of participants called for behavioural change and citizen empowerment, on the condition that healthy and sustainable food is both available and affordable.
The emphasis shifts the discussion away from individual responsibility and towards the real choices available to consumers.
Knowledge is not enough
People may know they should eat more fruit, vegetables and legumes, and fewer foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fats.
Knowledge alone, however, is not enough when healthier options place a greater strain on household budgets, are less readily available or require time that many working people simply do not have.
The European debate increasingly recognises that dietary habits are not shaped solely at home.
They are influenced by prices, production, processing, advertising, product availability and supply chains.
Preventing obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease therefore cannot rely exclusively on recommendations encouraging people to make the "right choices."
New foods and infrastructure
The priorities also include diversifying protein sources, developing plant-based alternatives, strengthening aquaculture, reducing food waste and making better use of waste through circular economy practices.
These are not purely environmental goals.
They will help determine which products reach supermarket shelves, at what price and with what nutritional value.
Participants also called for the gap between research and the market to be bridged.
The report notes that many promising solutions never reach commercial production and proposes investment in pilot facilities, processing infrastructure, shared facilities and financing to support commercialisation.
The Cyprus challenge
The message is particularly relevant for Cyprus, especially at a time when rising living costs are limiting the choices available to many households.
The question is no longer simply whether consumers know what constitutes a healthy diet, but whether they can consistently incorporate it into their daily lives.
Cyprus is among the European countries facing significant challenges with childhood and adult obesity, while chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease remain major causes of illness and death.
The European consultation suggests that solutions can no longer be sought solely through awareness campaigns or health services, but also through policies that determine which foods are produced, how much they cost and how easily they reach consumers.
For an island state that depends heavily on imports, access to quality food is also linked to supply-chain resilience, local production and the ability to maintain affordable prices during times of crisis.
For this reason, the report places particular emphasis on smaller and more decentralised supply chains, stronger domestic production and reducing critical dependencies.
