| Posted September 17, 2026

How Digital Tools and Citizen Participation Can Transform Food Systems: Learnings from Our SPOON Project

What does it take to motivate people to make healthier and more sustainable food choices? And under which conditions are citizens willing to share their personal food-related data to support research and innovation? 254 citizens across six European countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain) explored these questions as part of our Citizen Science Labs (CSL) organised within the SPOON project and coordinated by the CSCP. What motivates citizens to share data The first CSL iteration focused on understanding citizens’ expectations and concerns regarding the sharing of food-related personal data. The discussions showed that citizens are generally open to contributing […]

Portrait of Dr. Esther Heidbüchel, Senior Project Manager at CSCP.

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3 Questions on Resilience & Infrastructure with Esther Heidbüchel

Urban resilience is not about bouncing back when things go wrong, argues Dr. Esther Heidbüchel, CSCP Senior Project Manager. Read how she thinks circular approaches can help cities to better respond, adapt and transform as conditions change. Cities are facing climate change, resource shortages, and geopolitical uncertainty. How can circular economy help cities become more resilient? Circular economy requires cities to know their critical value streams and have strong collaborative networks in place. These are prerequisites for maintaining economic and social ‘normalcy’ in crisis situations. By localising resource loops for water, food, energy and materials, circular cities reduce dependence on fragile […]

| Posted September 11, 2026

CSCP at Beyond the Bite on 1 October 2026: Innovation, Scale and Acceptance of Alternative Proteins

How can Europe accelerate the transition towards alternative proteins that are not only innovative and scalable, but also accepted and integrated into everyday diets? This question will be at the heart of “Beyond the Bite: Science, Scale and Acceptance of Alternative Proteins,” our LIKE-A-PRO project final event taking place on 1 October 2026 in San Sebastián, Spain. The event will bring together experts and stakeholders from across the alternative protein ecosystem to explore the intersection of science, product development, regulation, food environments and consumer adoption. In the session “Food environments, consumer behaviour and market adoption,” Arlind Xhelili, Project Manager at the […]

| Posted September 9, 2026

Can Quality Communication and Price Incentives Make Visually Imperfect Food More Appealing?

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 […]

| Posted September 8, 2026

Accelerating Alternative Protein Uptake: What European Behvioural Pilots Show Us

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 […]

| Posted August 31, 2026

Ready to Cook and Connect for Change? ChangeCup Is Now Open for Applications

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 […]

| Posted August 10, 2026

Practical Support for SMEs in Brazil and Costa Rica to Keep Up with Sustainability and Traceability Requirements

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 […]

| Posted July 29, 2026

Download Our Publication Series on Social Norms and Food Waste

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 […]

| Posted July 21, 2026

Digital Product Passport: From Systems to Ecosystems

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. […]

| Posted July 9, 2026

The Legacy of Our CATALYST Project: A Learning Platform with 70 Courses and Practical Tools for Sustainable Transformation

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 […]

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