This document summarizes a study analyzing 123 texts written by Finnish high school students aged 15-18 describing their visions of sustainable food systems in Finland in 2050. Through qualitative analysis, the students' visions were condensed into 6 alternative futures: 1) Slow change 2) Domestic and local production 3) Conscious consumer 4) Regulation 5) Technology 6) Dystopia. The visions highlighted big changes to diets and food sources, concerns about plastic packaging, and ensuring social and economic sustainability through eating together and valuing producers. The students proposed technological solutions and ideas to reduce packaging waste through better recycling, less packaging, new materials, and reuse.

1. Nuorten visiot
kestävästä
ruoasta 2050 /
Youth visions on
sustainable
food
Pack to the Future
15.2.2022
Vilja Varho
Natural Resources Institute Finland
(Luke)

2. How do the young envision the food transition?
• 123 texts from 15-18 year olds, from six high schools
Vilja Varho (Luke) Minna Kaljonen (Syke)
Kirsi Sonck-Rautio (Åbo Akademi) Roosa Ritola
(Syke)
Anni Savikurki (E2
Research)

3. Sustainable food 2050
• Write ca. 1 page text where you imagine food and eating in Finland
in 2050. Consider how responding to environmental and
sustainability issues affects food production and consumption. You
may discuss e.g., what foods are eaten, what kinds of raw materials
they are made of, where and with whom food is eaten, how and
where food is produced, where food is bought or how it is delivered
and how food is packed.
• AFTER the writing, a lecture on food and food packaging was given
• Qualitative content analysis using PESTE framework and futures
table, → results were condensed to 6 alternative visions

4. Six visions of sustainable food in Finland in 2050
VISIO 1
Slow change
VISIO 2
Domestic and local
production
VISIO 3
Conscious consumer
VISIO 4
Regulation
VISIO 5
Technology
VISIO 6
Dystopia

5. Slow change

6. Domestic and local production

7. Conscious consumer

8. Regulation

9. Technology

10. Dystopia

11. Food packaging in the visions
VISIO 1
Increasing recycling
VISIO 2
Less packaging, using own
containers to buy food
VISIO 3
Individual deliveries to
homes
VISIO 5
Packages can be e.g., edible
or used as fertilizer in home
gardens
VISIO 6
Packages are very
durable, to preserve
food well
VISIO 4
Biobased materials replace
plastic, materials regulated
tightly

12. Conclusions
• The young discuss big changes – not just optimisation of the current system
• They are concerned about plastic packaging but less focus than on dietary
changes
• Also social (&economic) sustainability: eating together, valuing producers, global
food security
• Not much focus on food chain and its actors
• Technological solutions highlighted
• Similar ideas and options regarding packaging emerge as from other
stakeholders:
– Better recycling
– Less packaging
– New materials
– Reuse
– ”something completely different” – new logistical / material solutions

13. Thank you!