10-12-2025 17:38    Vincent

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Fevia unveils its new roadmap in a pressured context

Fevia, the federation of the Belgian food industry, has presented its new sustainability roadmap for the next five years. This 2026–2030 roadmap builds on the previous one launched in 2021, for which the federation also presented an assessment. Between tangible progress, growing pressure on competitiveness and rising sustainability expectations, the sector is once again equipping itself with a strategic framework to navigate an increasingly demanding economic and regulatory environment.

Five years of progress in an increasingly tense context

The previous roadmap aimed to answer a central question: “What will we eat tomorrow?” By bringing companies together around 15 themes and 32 objectives covering health, the environment, circularity, working conditions and competitiveness, it served as a true compass for the food industry.

Despite rising costs, increasing regulatory requirements and stronger international competition, Fevia notes significant progress. Among the most striking results of the past five years:

• 28% reduction in CO₂ emissions per tonne produced compared to 2005.
• 98% of household packaging is now recyclable.
• Continuous decrease in water consumption per unit produced.
• Strengthening of the offer compatible with healthier diets, notably through the Nutri-Pact.
• Ongoing investments in workplace safety and well-being, with more collective labour agreements dedicated to “feasible work” and more employees making use of career budgets.

Overall, 75% of the objectives of the 2021–2025 roadmap have been achieved or are underway, showing that the approach is delivering results.

However, Fevia points out that the sector is operating in an increasingly constrained reality: loss of market share for Western Europe at global level, a growing influx of imported products in Belgian retail, pressure on prices, and rising labour, energy and tax costs. Added to this is the future “litter tax”, estimated at 102 million euros, which could further stimulate cross-border shopping.

According to Ann Wurman, CEO of Fevia, “Belgium produces food that stands for quality, sustainability and innovation, but companies need a level playing field. Only competitive companies can continue to invest in sustainable initiatives.”

New consumer expectations

As with the first edition, Fevia commissioned Why5Research to conduct a survey to better understand changes in eating behaviour. Three key trends emerge:

• Quality, taste and price remain the decisive criteria. Sustainability comes second, although its importance is increasing.
• Consumers are eating more consciously: more fruit, vegetables and water, less sugar.
• Demand for transparency and reliable information is growing, especially among 18–34-year-olds, who are strongly influenced by social media.

Trust in the food industry is also improving, up 4.5% compared to 2021.

A new 2026–2030 roadmap, unique in Europe

In this context, and following the success of the first roadmap, Fevia presents its new roadmap towards 2030. This second sector-wide roadmap was developed through dialogue with companies, NGOs, academics, public authorities and supply chain partners.

It includes 21 objectives, grouped around four pillars:

1. Strengthening consumer trust : Quality, food safety, correct information, healthier diets.
2. Accelerating the environmental transition: Climate, energy, water, packaging, circularity, reducing food losses.
3. Building sustainable and attractive careers: Well-being at work, training, talent shortages, attractiveness of the sector.
4. Creating value responsibly: Sustainable supply chains, competitiveness, local anchoring, collaboration across the value chain.

Call to public authorities: a predictable framework and real support

While companies are showing their willingness to move forward, the federation stresses the need for a clear, stable and coherent political framework. It formulates four priorities:

• Making the sustainable transition feasible: harmonisation of rules, support for innovation and collaboration within the value chain.
• A genuine industrial policy that reconciles competitiveness and sustainability: reducing the labour and energy cost handicap, lowering tax and administrative pressure, and ensuring fair commercial relations.
• Strengthening dialogue around food and health.
• Investing in talent, particularly technical profiles, and better aligning education with market needs.

A resilient industry that wants to keep investing

With more than 102,000 jobs, 82.9 billion euros in turnover and 39.6 billion euros in exports, the food industry remains a strategic pillar of the Belgian economy. But growth is slowing and competitive pressure is increasing.

For Fevia, this new roadmap is essential to provide the sector with a shared and realistic direction, accelerate the transition and maintain added value in Belgium.

My 20/CENT view on Fevia’s roadmap

What deserves to be highlighted is the unique nature of the approach. This is a sector that voluntarily committed itself and is now renewing that commitment. The roadmap is not just a booklet of promises published by industry players and the federation: it is a structured plan with clear objectives, measurable KPIs, concrete actions and, above all, tangible results (as demonstrated by the first roadmap).

Few industrial sectors in Europe are engaging in such a voluntary and structured way. And it is clear that the results have been delivered. This is concrete proof that sustainability and economic viability can go hand in hand.