Food is expensive due to the prevailing industrial farming practices that prioritise quantity over quality, often relying heavily on synthetic chemicals. The Common European Agricultural Policy (CAP), allocating substantial funds to agriculture, fails to adequately support environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. Currently, 80% of CAP subsidies are directed to the largest 20% of farms, irrespective of their agricultural methods. This reinforces intensive industrial farming and does not incentivize eco-friendly approaches.
Also, food companies – the intermediaries between farmers and consumers – have been responsible for driving prices up. In particular, the absence of real competition between these companies allow them to tighten their grip over both producers and consumers: they set the prices high enough for them to get a bigger share along the value-chain of the food sector.This has made them richer and food a lot more expensive for consumers while producers still sell their products for prices that are unfair for them.
To address the issue, public authorities like the European Commission should address this lack of competition as soon as possible, so that farmers can get a fair share. They should forbid any sale at loss by farmers, as it is currently too often the case.
There is also a need to shift towards agro-ecological practices such as organic farming, reduced use of pesticides, and protection of biodiversity. By prioritising sustainability, the environmental cost of food production can be lowered, contributing to lower carbon impact and increased food security. Such practices enhance the resilience of agro-ecosystems to climate shocks and reduce dependence on chemical inputs.
The money to subsidise eco-friendly and fair-priced food is there, it just needs to be directed towards nature-friendly production practices that prioritise the environment, animal welfare, and consumer health over monocultures and intensive farming. This way, a green and social Europe can ensure a fair standard of living for farmers and reasonable prices for consumers.
Keywords: food prices, cost of living, food price inflation, expensive food
