A Framework for Sustainable Food Systems: Balancing Environmental, Nutritional, and Socioeconomic Goals
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: consumer behavior; front-of-pack labels; Nutri-Score; Eco-Score, agri-food marketing; risk management, food policy
Interests: agricultural policy and economics; agribusiness; agri-food market and marketing; agricultural risk management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue aims to explore how front-of-pack labels (FOPLs) and other food information tools can contribute to the development of sustainable food systems, integrating nutritional, environmental, and socioeconomic goals. While front-of-pack labeling schemes were originally designed to help consumers make healthier dietary choices, their potential role in promoting sustainability—by influencing purchasing behavior, market dynamics, and food policies—is becoming increasingly relevant.
The purpose of this Special Issue is to bring together interdisciplinary research from the fields of nutrition, consumer behavior, agricultural and food economics, and environmental economics to investigate how labeling systems and information strategies can support the transition toward healthier and more sustainable diets.
The topic aligns closely with Sustainability’s scope, as it addresses key interactions between food consumption and sustainability at multiple levels.
Although the Special Issue will primarily focus on front-of-pack labels, contributions addressing broader perspectives, such as consumer understanding or policy instruments for sustainable food systems, are also welcome.
Based on these themes, this Special Issue intends to collect scientific contributions and original research articles on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- The evaluation of front-of-pack labeling schemes (e.g., Nutri-Score, Eco-Score, etc.) and their effectiveness in promoting healthy and sustainable choices;
- The interactions between nutritional and environmental labeling and their impact on consumer perception and decision-making;
- Behavioral and experimental approaches to consumers’ understanding of food labeling;
- Communication and education strategies to enhance food literacy and sustainable choices;
- The economic impact of front-of-pack labels (e.g., Nutri-Score) on consumer choices for quality products (GIs, organic, etc.);
- Policy implications and future directions for labeling systems in sustainable food systems.
In this Special Issue, both original research articles and review papers are welcome.
We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.
Dr. Alice Stiletto
Prof. Dr. Samuele Trestini
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- front-of-pack labelling
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