EuroHealthNet provides feedback to the EU proposal on Empowering the consumer for the green transition
In its feedback, EuroHealthNet highlighted that the green transition is an area in which we need to strive for and can deliver a “triple-win”, promoting not just environmental sustainability but also health and health equity. It is crucial that all stakeholders are involved in this transition, including policymakers and the private sector, but also citizens, given that individual (un)sustainable behaviours impact not only the health of our planet, but also our own health.
EuroHealthNet drew attention to the crucial role that policymakers should play to support people’s capability to make positive changes, by providing clear scientifically sound guidelines at EU level and mandatory standardised EU-wide labelling on food products, which highlights health, social and environmental sustainability aspects. Information must be easy to understand and apply by all; the more complex the information the harder it is for the general population to act on. Given that information and misinformation is increasingly transmitted digitally, this also calls for investments in improving digital literacy. Sustainable and healthy food, as well as other products and services, needs to be affordable, as cost is a key factor driving consumer behaviour, and this can increase health inequalities.
“Business as usual” is not an option, and EuroHealthNet highlighted the urgent need to enforce existing and amended legislations, rather than relying on self-regulation. Policymakers have a duty to facilitate the efforts of front-runner businesses, and to hold accountable those that harm the environment and public health.
Read the full response to the proposal here.
