Empowering people to transform food systems
SPOON is an EU-funded project connecting citizens, researchers, industries, civil society organisations, and policymakers to co-create a fairer, healthier, and more sustainable food future.
The challenge
Food systems are under pressure. While food production contributes up to 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions, food waste is on the rise, and many people across Europe still lack access to sufficient, healthy food. Yet, people are often left out of shaping the solutions that affect their lives.
Funded by the European Union, SPOON tackles these issues and drives behavioural change by combining evidence and data generation with active community participation.
Why Citizen Science?
We believe that, to create lasting change, communities need to be part of the solution. Citizen Science is a powerful tool to let people actively contribute to research, helping design food systems that reflect real lives and needs.
Discover how SPOON worksExpected impacts
SPOON brings scientific, societal, and economic value by:
Generating new knowledge on how people consume food, what influences their choices, and what motivates or prevents them from sharing personal food data.
Contributing to policy and global goals by addressing EU priorities and global challenges through research and innovation, with people actively involved in the process.
Driving innovation-led growth by helping food system actors better understand consumer needs – supporting the transition to more sustainable and healthier food systems.
Who is behind SPOON?
Led by the Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP), SPOON brings together 16 leading European partners. Our consortium includes institutions with expertise in citizen science, food systems, behavioural research, and digital innovation.
Meet our sister projects
Our Executive Advisory Board
Martina De Sole
Martina De Sole is an expert in European innovation policies and science diplomacy. She is the Director of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) where she promotes globally the Living Lab concept and methodology and the Network of ENoLL certified Members.
Peter Groothuis
Peter Groothuis is a Senior Innovation Manager at EIT Food, Europe’s leading food innovation community. At the forefront of system transformation in the agrifood sector, Peter leads strategic initiatives focused on impact-driven financing models, intellectual property management and valorisation, and open innovation.
Theo Toering
Theo Toering is the founder of Bamboo Brands, a research agency that helps food manufacturers validate new products and packaging concepts. With a background in consumer insights and innovation strategy, Theo specialises in combining behavioural research with real-life sales data to predict the retail success of FMCG innovations.
Lada Timotijevic
Lada Timotijevic is Professor of Psychology and Deputy Director of Food Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre at School of Psychology, University of Surrey. Trained as a social psychologist, she specialises in the governance of food innovation systems from a multi-actor system perspective.
Monique Raats
Prof. Monique Raats is the founding Co-Director of the University’s Institute for Sustainability, and directs the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health (FCBH) Research Centre, which researches food-related behaviour and policy interventions to achieve sustainable and healthy lifestyles.
