How many yellowish limes do you usually see in your local supermarket? A change in skin colour does not mean that a lime is of lower quality or unsuitable for consumption. Yet, around 11% of limes are returned by retail costumers due to aesthetic expectations, as a case study shows.

According to that study, at producer level, roughly 30% of limes are discarded each year mainly due to skin color changes and aesthetic imperfections*.

So, how can better communication and price incentives help bring more of these limes to the market and encourage consumers to choose them?

Testing things on the ground

A 12-day quasi-experimental retail pilot of the Breadcrumb project tested this in two supermarkets by offering visually imperfect limes, alongside transparent information about their quality and reduced prices. The pilot, conducted jointly by the CSCP, the German organic wholesaler lehmann natur, the German retailer REWE, and the Belgian research institute VLTN, showed positive results, with consumers responding well to visually imperfect produce.

Pilot design and implementation

The retail pilot compared four different conditions at store and day level: no intervention, communication only, a price discount only, and a combination of communication and discount. This allowed the researchers to see how each measure affected sales as well as whether combining communication and discount had a stronger effect.

For each store and day, the team recorded which condition was applied, along with sales, prices and other factors that could influence purchasing behaviour, such as customer traffic and weather. This made it possible to compare consumer responses under real shopping conditions while taking normal day-to-day variations into account.

What we found out

The pilot tested two main measures: clear information about the quality of the discoloured limes and targeted price reductions.

The results showed that yellowish limes sold better when both measures, communication and discount, were used together. This suggests that combining clear information about product quality with a financial incentive can encourage consumers to choose visually imperfect produce.

Limitations and learnings

The retail pilot was based on a small dataset of 24 store-day observations collected over a short period. As a result, the findings may have been influenced by temporary changes in customer traffic or by initial consumer curiosity. That is why the results do not establish the effectiveness of the combined intervention or its impact on upstream food loss; however they justify a more rigorous field evaluation. Future research should therefore move beyond these small, short-term data windows and examine the effects over longer periods and with more observations.

A broader scope would help better account for differences in store customer profiles and monitor product freshness over time.

How Breadcrumb insights can inspire uptake and scaling

The pilot provides feasibility evidence and effect-size estimates for a larger trial toward scaling and normalising the sale of visually imperfect products at retail level.

By recognising their market potential, producers and retailers can strengthen food value chains, while consumers can benefit from greater awareness that visually imperfect products are of the same quality as their conventional counterparts.

The pilot also highlights the potential of behavioural approaches in retail environments to increase the uptake of visually imperfect products and demonstrates how such interventions can be expanded beyond the pilot setting.

Join us in this effort!

At the CSCP, we are keen on exploring how behavioural approaches and (more) flexible aesthetic standards can support the uptake of visually imperfect products across different product categories and retail settings.

That’s why we want to connect retailers, producers, researchers and other food-system partners to exchange, explore, and discuss opportunities for future collaboration.

Are you one of them? Get in touch with Regina Fernandez to join us!

*BREADCRUMB Case Study 2025

How can alternative proteins move from niche products to widely accepted food choices? The answer does not lie in a single solution. While product quality and availability remain essential, wider uptake also depends on how food environments are designed, how information is communicated and how opportunities for positive experiences are created.

In our EU-funded project, LIKE-A-PRO we explored these questions through a series of behavioural intervention pilots across Europe. The pilots tested different approaches to understand how interventions can support consumers in discovering, trying and integrating alternative protein products into everyday diets.

Together with insights from our LIKE-A-PRO Living Labs, they provide evidence on what enables, and what limits, the transition towards more diverse protein systems.

Key learnings from the behavioural pilots

• Creating supportive food environments can influence choices, but autonomy matters. The pilots showed that changing the food environment can make alternative proteins easier to notice and choose. In canteens, gradually reducing meat-based options while increasing the visibility of plant-based meals increased awareness and supported plant-based meal selection. At the same time, the pilots reveal that interventions perceived as restrictive can create resistance, while gradual approaches that preserve autonomy and provide attractive alternatives are more likely to be accepted.
• Visibility and accessibility are important first steps, but long-term adoption depends on product experience. Making alternative proteins easier to discover can encourage first trials, but trial alone does not guarantee long-term adoption. Taste, texture, price, convenience and trust remain decisive factors in whether people return to these products or not.
• Communication works best when it creates curiosity and practical opportunities to act. Messages focusing on enjoyment, health, sustainability or shared benefits performed better than approaches relying on pressure or negative framing. Findings also suggest that communication is most effective when paired with practical support, such as access to appealing products, recipes, preparation knowledge and supportive food environments.
• Mainstreaming requires coordinated action across the food system. Alternative protein uptake cannot be achieved by communication or consumer motivation alone. Successful interventions combine attractive products, supportive environments, credible information and opportunities for repeated positive experiences.

From evidence to action: new governance mechanisms coming soon

“We are building on the behavioural pilots and the LIKE-A-PRO Living Labs insights, to translate research findings into practical guidance through a series of governance mechanisms. These resources will support stakeholders in designing more effective approaches for communication, labelling, food environments and learning settings.”, says Arlind Xhelili, CSCP Project Manager.

Download the report for the full findings of our behavioural pilots.

For further questions, please contact Arlind Xhelili.

In early 2026, we launched our Flavour of ChangeCup project with one clear goal: to create a cooking competition that opens the door to broader conversations about sustainable food, migrant inclusion, and professional development. The call for applications is now open in all four participating countries—Italy, Spain, Greece, and Germany. Help us spread the word!

What is ChangeCup about?

The ChangeCup cooking competition gives participants a chance to share their culinary knowledge, develop practical skills, and become part of a European initiative connecting food, sustainability, and inclusion.

“By bringing together people from different backgrounds, ChangeCup creates a space where cooking becomes a way to learn from one another and contribute to positive change,” says Jennifer Wiegard, CSCP Project Manager.

Following CSCP’s Train-the-Trainer workshop and the development of the Facilitator Guideline, project partners now have practical tools to plan and run the regional pre-competitions in their local contexts. These preparations help ensure a consistent, inclusive, and high-quality experience across all four countries.

Who can apply?

In all four countries, ChangeCup is looking for people with migrant backgrounds who are interested in sustainable cooking, creativity, and intercultural exchange. Sustainability criteria such as the use of regional, seasonal, organic or plant-based ingredients as well as avoiding food waste serve as guidance for developing the dishes. At the same time, we encourage the participants to reflect about the different priorities such as costs, availability, cultural traditions, and environmental impacts.

By sharing recipes, stories, and skills across cultures, ChangeCup aims to create real opportunities in the culinary sector, strengthen intercultural exchange, and promote fair, climate-friendly food systems for all.

What does ChangeCup offer?

Through regional competitions, coaching, and exchange, ChangeCup gives participants opportunities to develop their skills, gain visibility, and connect with others. The project creates opportunities for participants to connect with restaurants and professional cooks, helping them build networks and making the step towards a career in the gastronomy sector easier.

At the same time, the project helps local partners strengthen their capacity to promote sustainable food practices in their contexts.

The competition follows a three-step process. First, participants submit their sustainable recipes through an open call. Selected participants are then invited to regional competitions, where they prepare their dishes, present their recipes and take part in a joint cooking competition. Winners of the regional competitions will be invited to the international ChangeCup final competition in Germany, where they will meet participants from the other countries and compete together.

Spread the word!

Whether through cooking, mentoring, or sharing expertise, ChangeCup welcomes people who want to be part of a shared European effort to turn ideas around sustainable food, inclusion, and cultural exchange into joint action.

For further questions, please contact Jennifer Wiegard.

Current European sustainability and traceability requirements, including the EU Green Deal and the EUDR, are prompting SMEs in Latin America to consider how they can adapt, remain competitive, and maintain access to international and premium markets.

Through three AL-INVEST Verde projects in Brazil and Costa Rica, we worked with local partners, SMEs and producers to turn these requirements into practical action.

What stands out?

A key learning from these experiences is that sustainability and deforestation-free value chains can only be achieved by working closely with the actors who make daily decisions on resource management and production practices.

Coffee and cocoa producers play a crucial role at the beginning of global value chains, while SMEs are the backbone of local economies and powerful drivers of innovation and market transformation. With the right tools, knowledge, and incentives, both can accelerate the shift towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns.

“There’s also an important learning for European actors: transparent and deforestation-free value chains depend on coordinated action between producers, SMEs, industry actors, governments and consumers. These projects show how European and Latin American partners can work together to build more responsible, inclusive and sustainable sourcing and consumption practices.”, says Dr. Adriana Ballon Ossia, CSCP Project Manager.

Toward sustainable and inclusive value chains

In Brazil, the CacauiCultura and ARABICA projects focused on cocoa and coffee value chains respectively. Both supported producers and small and medium-sized enterprises in strengthening sustainability practices and climate resilience, promote access to inclusive market access, and integrate traceability in their value chains.

In the ARABICA project, we partnered with Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) and the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA). Through workshops, co-creation processes, and technical support, producers improved their understanding of digital traceability tools and gained access to best practices in relation to labour rights and social and gender equlity, climate change and regenerative agriculture.

 Watch these videos from women coffee producers who were part of the project.

Promoting climate resilience and regenerative agriculture

The CacauiCultura project, implemented by the CSCP and SEBRAE, supported cocoa producers and SMEs strengthen sustainability management through targeted workshops, mentoring, and collaborative learning.

It provided capacity-building opportunities on traceability and the EUDR, climate change, regenerative agriculture, and circular economy practices. It also amplified producers’ voices through interviews and storytelling initiatives, while fostering knowledge exchange through fairs, networking activities, and peer-learning events.

Check out three publications with findings from CacauiCultura on the topics: EUDR, climate change, and regenerative agriculture!

How voluntary commitments are going a long way in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, the Green Codes project (Códigos Verdes) developed a flexible voluntary sustainability agreement for SMEs across agriculture, industry, innovation and services.

Implemented by the CSCP together with the Chamber of Commerce of Costa Rica, the project supported businesses to identify, document, and communicate environmental, social and governance practices that were often already in place, but not yet formally captured.

Read how the Green Codes engaged 200 SMEs to drive sustainable transformation

Our takeaways

The projects showed that regulations such as the EUDR are most effective when translated into practical solutions for producers and businesses on the ground. Building sustainable and deforestation-free value chains therefore requires collaboration across value chains and between European and Latin American stakeholders to create lasting environmental, social, and economic impact.

“Having implemented these three projects, we have practical evidence that sustainability compliance is not only a risk to manage. With the right tools, partnerships and support mechanisms, it can also open opportunities for innovation, market differentiation and value creation.”, concludes Adriana.

Do you have further questions or would like to collaborate with us? Contact Dr. Adriana Ballon Ossia!

 

 

 

 

What influences food waste among children in school? Why do companies hesitate to donate surplus?

Often, the answer lies not in the lack of awareness, but rather in the social norms that shape our decisions. As part of the EU Horizon Europe project CHORIZO, we have explored this underutilised lever and translated findings into practical guidance across five key sectors.

Why social norms matter

Social norms are the unwritten rules that guide everyday behaviour, what people do because they see others doing it (descriptive norms), or because they believe it is expected of them (injunctive norms). These norms are active across every context where food is bought, prepared, served, or thrown away.

The following lines give a glimpse into 5 practical guidance documents on social norms and food waste, that we have published on our CSCP library.

Whether you work in urban food policy, education, food service, or redistribution, you can check them out by downloading your copies now.

The not-so-bright side: Social norms hinder people to reduce food waste

In retail, the assumption that only perfect produce belongs on the shelf drives waste.

In cities this influences procurement and expectations.

In schools, pupils are often focused on the external appearance of their food. Especially younger pupils tend to adapt peer behaviour, which can fuel plate waste in school canteens.

In food services, a culture of overproduction signals generosity, but at a cost.

For food banks, unfounded fears of legal liability block donation. Across all sectors, however also helpful norms like valuing leftovers or normalising donation, can be identified and actively reinforced.

Good communication can go a long way

Communication materials that celebrate careful food use as a community target address the so-called “injunctive” norm as they appeal to people’s values and expectations.

They can shift both individual behaviour and institutional culture. Targeted awareness campaigns, that are built on social norm insights and emphasise the social impact of the action, can reduce food safety concerns and build confidence among businesses considering food donation.

In schools, training the staff and embedding food waste literacy into everyday learning has shown real potential to shape lasting food-related norms.

From insight to intervention

Within the guidance documents, CSCP’s 8-step framework helps practitioners identify which norms are at play in their context, design targeted interventions, and evaluate real-world impact.

Whether you work in urban food policy, education, food service, or redistribution, understanding social norms in your context is the first step to making your food loss and waste reduction efforts more effective.

The Chorizo guidance documents cover five sectors:

Cities: social norms in urban food planning and procurement

Food redistribution and food banks: shifting donation culture and reducing legal concerns

Schools: building food waste literacy among students and communities

Food services: addressing norms among staff and customers in restaurants, hotels and catering

All sectors: a cross-cutting overview bringing together key findings and helpful vs. unhelpful norms

Interested in applying social norms thinking to your next project? We would be happy to explore how this approach can strengthen your work.

Please reach out to Nora Brüggemann.

Europe has made substantial progress in defining Digital Product Passport (DPPs) and its standards to enable circular economy. The next question is bigger: how do we transform technical interoperability into trusted collaboration across sectors, value chains, and international markets?

The DPP4EU 2026 Conference & CE-RISE Annual Event

In Spring 2026, Brussels became the capital of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) community as researchers, policymakers, industry representatives, standardisation experts, and technology providers gathered for the DPP4EU 2026 Conference and the CE-RISE Annual Event.

Elliana Jensen-Abieva, CSCP Senior Expert joined the panel discussion on Research Priorities for Effective EU-Wide Digital Product Passport Deployment.

“Thanks to the work of standardisation bodies and numerous EU-funded research projects, many of the foundations for DPP implementation are now in place. However, the next phase will require even closer collaboration across sectors and value chains.”, notes Elliana.

What standardisation means for companies

A key discussion topic was how companies can avoid facing different reporting methodologies for the same sustainability information as DPP requirements expand across sectors such as batteries, textiles, electronics, and construction products. Ensuring interoperability while keeping implementation practical for businesses remains a key challenge.

Another key topic was the transition from focusing on individual DPP systems toward creating trusted DPP ecosystems. Beyond technology, this includes governance, data sharing, stakeholder collaboration, and international alignment.

Toward a shared vision for global DPP standards

The discussions also generated excitement around the upcoming work of JTC 5- ISO/JTC 5 develops horizontal international standards for Digital Product Passports, creating a common global framework of terminology, principles, and architecture to ensure interoperability and avoid fragmented national approaches, which is expected to play an important role in supporting interoperability across industries and regions worldwide. Building on the achievements of JTC 24, participants emphasised the importance of open, inclusive, and collaborative approaches that allow different sectors to work together while respecting their specific requirements.

DPPs will not succeed on technology alone

The success of Digital Product Passports will depend not only on technology and standards, but on our ability to connect stakeholders, build trust, and create interoperable ecosystems that deliver value across the entire product lifecycle.

The conversations in Brussels demonstrated that Digital Product Passports are rapidly moving from concept to implementation. The next challenge will be ensuring that businesses, regulators, technology providers, and researchers can work together to make DPPs scalable, interoperable, and accessible across Europe and beyond.

The successful implementation of Digital Product Passports will depend on collaboration across the entire ecosystem. If you are a manufacturer, technology provider, policymaker, researcher or industry association looking to exchange knowledge, explore partnerships or engage in DPP-related initiatives, get in touch with us and contact Elliana Jensen-Abieva now!

For further questions, please contact Elliana Jensen-Abieva.

Our CATALYST project has wrapped up, leaving behind a comprehensive online platform to support upskilling and reskilling for the sustainable transformation. With 70 courses, practical resources, and a European network, the platform support businesses, educators and professionals to become more flexible, collaborative, and stay relevant and competitive.

What topics does the CATALYST Platform cover?

The 70 courses developed by the project consortium, span topics such as sustainable development, resilient transition, sustainable business management, business transformation, intellectual capital, circular economy, individual and organisational transformation readiness. The courses are complemented by ready-to-use materials and resources, as well as opportunities to connect with a wider network.

The role of the CSCP

The CSCP contributed six courses designed to support professionals and organisations in building competencies for the green transition. The courses remain freely accessible through the CATALYST platform for the next five years and form part of the project’s lasting value for learners, SMEs, and transformation practitioners. Learn more about CSCP’s courses here!

What we learned?

The CATALYST project showed us that sustainability skills are strongest when digital learning is connected to dialogue, collaboration and real-world application. Live and interactive sessions linked to the courses created spaces for peer exchange, practical questions and collaborative reflection.

“One big learning for us as CSCP was that sustainability training for companies needs to be flexible and realistic. Professionals are often balancing full-time work with limited time resources, so learning formats need to meet them where they are while still creating space for exchange and reflection,” says Carla Schmid, Project Coordinator at CSCP.

Business pilots to test solutions on the ground

The Business Pilot Project (BPP), developed by the CSCP together with Krefeld Business and students working on a real business challenge, offered a concrete example of this hands-on approach.

It showed how education-business collaboration can support practical sustainability innovation and enable participants to apply systems thinking and circular economy approaches.

Participant feedback highlighted the value of working on a challenge connected to a real organisation, where the collaboration with the CSCP and meetings with Krefeld Business created a professional and practical learning environment.

More information about the pilot can be found here: CSCP’s Business Pilot Project.

The CATALYST final conference: A moment of reflection

These reflections came together in April 2026, when CATALYST project partners gathered in Skopje, Northern Macedonia for the project’s final international conference, marking the conclusion of four years of collaboration on sustainable systems and business transformation.

Bringing together experts from education, industry, and policy, the event created space to reflect on achievements, exchange experiences, and discuss the future of vocational education and training (VET) for sustainability.

What’s next?

Looking ahead, we aim to build on learnings from the CATALYST project to support learning, reskilling, and upskilling initiatives, including more locally tailored learning formats.

Are you a business, professional or student interested in using, adapting or further developing the CATALYST platform? Get in touch with Carla Schmid!

Circular economy is becoming an imperative for cities that want to become places where communities can pursue a good life. One of the most common challenges cities face is the overwhelming task of coordinating the many measures, targets, and stakeholders within their administrations.

We have launched the Circular Economy Academy to support municipal circular economy managers with tailored training that matches their needs and helps them advance circularity on the ground. Are you one of them? This programme is for you!

What does the Circular Economy Academy offer

For many cities, appointing dedicated Circular Economy (CE) Managers is a crucial step in driving the circular transformation. In pioneer cities, where such managers are appointed, they are responsible for coordinating the strategic direction and implementation of circular economy measures and thus contributing significantly to sustainable urban development.

But who within a municipality is ready to take on this emerging role and has the know-how to manage its complex, cross-sectoral responsibilities?

Developed by the CSCP in collaboration with the Bergischer Abfallwirtschaftsverband (BAV)/:metabolon, the Circular Economy Academy offers a hands-on, 5-day training programme tailored to the specific needs of municipal CE Managers in NRW and beyond.

Whether working on environmental and climate protection, waste or building management, municipal utilities or economic development agencies—municipality employees with diverse backgrounds will gain knowledge, tools, and networks needed to confidently step into this new role and drive circular transformation in their local context. 

“The Academy empowers local actors to become change agents for circular transformation in their own cities—not just by providing knowledge, but by reflecting, connecting, and co-creating hands-on approaches tailored to their local context.”, says Shirin Betzler, CSCP Programme Lead.

What the Circular Academy offers:

• An interactive introduction to CE principles, legal frameworks and urban applications
• Real-world case studies and local material flow analysis
• Vision-building and the development of concrete action steps for Circular Cities
• Impulses on change leadership, systems thinking and collaboration skills
• Tools for measuring impact and evaluating CE measures
• Peer coaching and tailored roadmap development for local implementation

In addition, the Circular Economy Academy will strengthen a growing community of municipal CE Managers across NRW and contribute to the state’s strategy to support circular cities through funding initiatives like CircularCities.NRW.

The first round of the academy is planned to start in the third quarter of 2026, combining two in-person workshops (two days each) with additional online sessions. Municipal employees can submit a non-binding expression of interest and will be the first to receive updates once registration opens.

You can find additional information on the academy here.

Ready to drive circular change in your city? Submit your expression of interest now!

For additional questions, please reach out to Dr. Shirin Betzler.

Our VERNE project works closely with key actors and local communities in 5 European countries (Greece, Slovenia, Finland, Germany and Denmark) to support the transition of local and regional tourist destinations toward sustainable and circular models.

To test promising solutions on the ground, five pilots have been launched in representatives locations across Europe. In one of them, a new micro-museum concept is introducing an innovative approach to cultural heritage and circular economy.

A unique museum in a unique region

Sønderjylland–Schleswig is a cross-border region between Denmark and Germany known for its dramatic coastal landscapes along the North and Baltic Seas. The region brings together communities on both sides of the Danish-German border, serving as a hub for cross-border cooperation between the Danish municipalities of Tønder, Aabenraa, Haderslev and Sønderborg, the Regional Council of Southern Denmark, the German districts of Schleswig-Flensburg and Nordfriesland, and the city of Flensburg.

For the pilot in Sønderjylland–Schleswig, the VERNE project has come together with Syddansk Universitet (SDU) to launch the Corporate Museums Sønderjylland–Schleswig, an innovative and sustainable approach to cultural heritage tourism.

What is the museum about?

At its core is the corporate micro-museum concept, which offers local and regional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) a low-threshold way to employ and communicate their corporate history, organisational identity, and stakeholder relations as cultural attractions, while at the same time promoting circular economy through the use of reused, recycled, and upcycled resources.

Key elements include:

• The app prototype Corporate Museums Sønderjylland–Schleswig, where users can explore corporate museums via an interactive map. It provides visitors with the information needed to experience local heritage in Sønderjylland–Schleswig and to plan their routes effectively, thus help reduce their CO2 emissions.
• The Corporate Heritage Network, which brings together relevant stakeholder from public administrations, tourism organisations, private businesses, and local communities. Through the Community of Practice (CoP) meetings, led by the CSCP, participants are engaged with a wider ecosystem and cross-border collaboration, with opportunities to exchange ideas, best-practices and solutions for circularity and sustainable tourism.

“Our pilot design brings both elements together by connecting the digital and physical layers. It links corporate museum owners, interests, and stakeholders across sectors, creating a shared space to exchange perspectives, knowledge, and best practices, with the common aim of making local heritage accessible to all.”, says Henri Haase, International Project Manager and Pilot Coordinator

Designed as a space for collaboration

The Corporate Museums Sønderjylland–Schleswig is characterized by strong collaboration and active stakeholder engagement. Five Community of Practice events have been held at different corporate museum sites, where participants could gain practical insights through guided tours led by site owners and continue the exchange in workshops, jointly exploring solutions and implementation approaches.

For further questions, please contact Kartika Anggraeni.

This year marks a special milestone for us at the CSCP: we have turned 20!

In our celebratory booklet, we share highlights of this journey and tell our story through the voices of current and former team members as well as our valuable partners, who have walked with us during all these years.

We do this work with great passion and commitment, and our Family & Friends Day was a great opportunity to introduce our friends and families to what we do in practice.

“So many of us are intrinsically motivated by the topics and ideas we work on, but don’t always have the chance to really share what we do with the people outside of our work context. The CSCP Family Day was our playground to explore together with our loved ones what we do as part of our work.”, says Nils Kreft, who works as Communication Coordinator at the CSCP.

The organising team brought together an impressive programme with the most exciting, engaging, and fun activities and projects that we have done and are doing at the CSCP and the co-do lab.

“It was so nice seeing our beautiful offices in the former Huppertsberg factory in Wuppertal buzz with so many people. Especially seeing the children, was a powerful reminder who we do this work for and why.”, shares Dr. Flandra Syla-Beqiri, who works as Senior Communication Manager at the CSCP.

Different stations covered different topics of our work: from food (waste) and circular economy to digitalisation and sustainable lifestyles, there was something for everyone.

“In one of our offices, adults could take the Lifestyle Test; outside, children could draw the future; and everyone could experience our live infographics, engage on circular economy through swapping items, or get a taste of the future in the era of AI.”, says Livia El-Khawad, CSCP Project Manager.

Our Family & Friends Day allowed us to grow together as a team even more as we had the opportunity to meet the important people in our colleagues’ lives, talk to them, and do what people do on birthdays: enjoy the atmosphere with good food, music, and sunshine.

You have a question or would like to engage with us? Get in touch with Dr. Flandra Syla-Beqiri!