Today’s food system is marked by discernible challenges and, at times, paradoxes stemming from disparities in food distribution. On the one hand, we assist a striking percentage of food waste (one-third of the world’s food production yearly), a large quote of the agricultural production dedicated to biofuel and animal feed, and raising obesity rates, while on the other hand, vast sectors of the world population are increasingly striving to access food, in a worsening scenario characterised by the impact of climate change. Moreover, unhealthy diets cause 11 million deaths every year, while 420,000 people are dying from consuming unsafe food. Three billion people are currently unable to afford a healthy diet, making malnutrition an important driver of social inequalities (WHO, 2021). In this context, the need for change in the food system is clear, even if the proposed answers are very different.

The lecture will focus on the consumption aspect of the food supply chain. It will begin with an examination of the fundamental questions: “What drives our food choices?” and “How are our tastes and preferences formed?” This will be followed by a critical appraisal of contemporary consumption trends, shedding light on the potential of sustainable diets to foster global sustainability. This presentation will emphasise the growing importance of food system issues in both academic investigations and public discourse, highlighting how contemporary citizens’ initiatives and academic discussions emphasise the imperative of addressing various aspects of consumption to achieve sustainability. In particular, cities are increasingly emerging as central actors in efforts to ensure equitable access to high-quality, environmentally friendly food while reducing waste.