Here’s a look at what we’ll likely see, what we might see if the stars align, and what we’d all love to see—broken down for consumers, the supply chain, and growers.
As we move into 2025, the food system stands at a crossroads. For years, we’ve heard big promises about sustainability, fairness, and transparency, but the real question is: will these promises deliver meaningful change, or will we see more of the same greenwashing and welfare-washing that frustrate consumers, burden growers, and leave the supply chain scrambling for answers?
What We Will See
For Consumers
Green is everywhere these days, from “carbon-neutral” to “planet-positive” labels. But let’s face it: most of this is fluff. Brands will keep churning out feel-good buzzwords without doing the hard work of addressing their actual impact. Animal welfare? It’ll be all about optics—cage-free eggs or “higher welfare” labels that don’t tackle the bigger issues of how we produce and consume meat.
For the Supply Chain
Expect business as usual when it comes to carbon offsets. Companies will keep relying on these as a cheap way to claim net-zero status without making meaningful changes to their operations. Meanwhile, the move towards compostable and recyclable packaging will pick up steam, thanks more to government regulation than corporate goodwill.
For Growers
Growers are already bearing the brunt of sustainability demands. They’ll be asked to reduce pesticide use, adopt regenerative farming practices, and do it all while battling slim margins. Precision agriculture tools—like drones and soil sensors—will help, but only if growers can afford them.
What We Might See
For Consumers
Consumers are getting wise to greenwashing. If they push back, brands will have to step up their transparency game. Hyper-local products could also take off as people demand more traceability and fewer food miles.
For the Supply Chain
Imagine a supply chain where blockchain tracks every step of a product’s journey, letting consumers verify claims about sustainability and ethics. It could happen. We might also see more collaboration between retailers, NGOs, and growers to share the load of going green.
For Growers
Retailers might finally realise that growers need more than a pat on the back—they need investment. Financial incentives for sustainable practices could ease the transition, and local partnerships could help tackle shared challenges like water management.
What We Would Like to See
For Consumers
Wouldn’t it be nice if brands stopped hiding behind vague claims and gave us real, verifiable information? Clear labelling backed by third-party audits would do wonders for consumer trust. And if we, as shoppers, prioritised brands that walk the talk? That’d be even better.
For the Supply Chain
It’s time for retailers and manufacturers to stop passing the buck to growers. Shared responsibility and investment in meaningful innovation—think regenerative agriculture and circular economy models—could transform the entire food system.
For Growers
Growers need fair compensation for the risks they take and the work they do. We’d love to see a future where growers are rewarded for sustainable practices and given a real voice in shaping policies that affect them.
The Bottom Line
2025 could be a turning point for the food system—or just another year of big talk and little action. The power to change lies with all of us: consumers, who can demand better; companies, who must do better; and growers, who deserve better. Let’s hope this is the year we get it right.
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