Changing the Narrative aims to create a stronger alliance for achieving more plants and less and better meat and dairy, helping to put Eating Better’s Better by Half Roadmap into action.
It creates the space and resources for our members to better advocate for changes to our food system, and to put forward a positive narrative on dietary change.
“The ambitious changes we need to see in our food system demand that we work collaboratively. Changing the Narrative allows us to be bolder in demonstrating how we can make change happen and the positive story to be told with dietary change.” - Andrew Stark, Senior Research and Policy Manager, Eating Better
This resource is for members of the Eating Better alliance and the wider food movement. It is intended to provide organisations with information and guidance on how to tailor their messages and outputs so they are able to work in a more constructive way with retailers on more plants and less and better meat, avoiding polarisation where possible.
Retailers, alongside manufacturers, are defined as individuals and organisations that are responsible for processing, packaging and distributing food products to citizens, such as shops, supermarkets and online stores.
This guide can be used in a number of ways; to inform alliance member reports and research, provide guidance for external engagements and campaigns, communication assets and contribute to more effective strategic planning on more plants, and less and better meat and dairy.
Tailoring messaging to adapt to food manufacturers is key for positive engagement and breaking down barriers between alliance members and food manufacturers. Below are tips on what works well and what to avoid when engaging with, communicating about or researching food manufacturers and their role in healthy and sustainable diets.
This guide can be used in a number of ways; to inform alliance member reports and research, provide guidance for external engagements and campaigns, communication assets and contribute to more effective strategic planning on more plants, and less and better meat and dairy.
One of the key questions governments are tasked with is considering whether they need to mandate industry to take action, or whether they can rely on voluntary action. In the food industry there are many voices advocating that voluntary action is sufficient.
However, in Henry Dimbleby and Dr Dolly van Tulleken’s interviews with former prime ministers, health secretaries and other senior ministers, those interviewed overwhelmingly supported more government intervention to tackle rates of obesity. Furthermore, The Hope Farm statement and the Lobbying for Good initiative shows that responsible industry wants action and citizens expect it.
This paper is a short summary to complement this finding - spanning across the intersectional issues found in food - with practical reminders of where mandatory action has achieved transformational change and where relying on voluntary commitments alone has not meaningfully shifted the dial.