A shared prospect for farming and food in Europe: The path forward

As we look to the future of EU agriculture, achieving sustainability, resilience, and competitiveness depend on collaboration across the entire agri-food value chain. Retailers and wholesalers are central to this. They provide EU businesses and millions of consumers with safe, nutritious, and affordable products. They are uniquely placed to give them information to help them make healthier and more sustainable choices. Achieving a sustainable agri-food system requires the active involvement of all stakeholders—farmers, retailers, wholesalers, policymakers, and consumers—working together towards a shared vision for EU agriculture and food.

A unified approach for sustainability

Through our participation in the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture, we helped shape guiding principles and recommendations for a competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture and food value chain. These recommendations form a package. Retailers and wholesalers endorse these recommendations when taken together. We look forward to contributing further to the future vision of agriculture and food as a member of the European Board on Agriculture and Food. A unified strategy that brings all actors together toward common goals will help depolarise positions.

Diversity demands tailored solutions

European agriculture and the various sectors forming the value chain are diverse, with varying sizes, sectors, and geographies. A one-size-fits-all approach will not meet the differing needs. Agriculture and the food value chain are interconnected with health, environment, climate, and trade. To ensure food safety, security, sustainability, and competitiveness, all players must feature coherently in the actions to follow.

Retail and wholesale’s role in the food chain

Retailers only have direct relationships with farmers for 5% of what they sell. These relationships are usually very local and of limited scale. Retailers mainly deal with large multinational suppliers, suppliers of processed products or wholesalers, cooperatives and purchasing organisations. These later organisations play a useful role in aggregating the volumes retailers and wholesalers need to provide their customers with safe, competitive and affordable foods.

This means there are interdependencies between all actors, with consumer trends shaping the entire agri-food system. Retail and wholesale’s position in the value chain fosters jobs, drives innovation, and boosts competitiveness, from local suppliers to international businesses. It also supports local communities and rural areas offering jobs and contributing to liveability. Retailers and wholesalers also play a critical role in facilitating third-country trade with the EU.

Key priorities for the future Vision of EU Agriculture and Food

We urge policymakers to focus on enhancing the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the agri-food system. Central to this is the need to prioritise the Single Market, attract investment, eliminate regulatory barriers, and address territorial supply constraints, which continue to hinder food affordability. A more streamlined, harmonised regulatory framework is crucial to reducing costs and improving market efficiency.

Sustainability must be approached holistically, across economic, social, and ecological dimensions. Because everyone is interdependent, this requires increased collaboration along the supply chain. Supporting innovation, reducing food waste, and harmonising sustainability methodologies will be key to driving long-term progress. Without stronger internal demand, Europe’s competitiveness will continue to decline. Retailers and wholesalers are in a unique position to help consumers make informed choices and grow the demand for healthier and more sustainable products.

We also encourage more targeted support for farmers, particularly those who need it the most. However, agriculture and the food value chain must remain market-oriented. The evaluation of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive is ongoing, and we need an evidence-led discussion before making regulatory changes. Only 13% of agricultural products are grown for food for human consumption. This makes measures going beyond the contractual relationships in the food supply chain of critical importance if we want to really improve the situation of farmers, the food chain and consumers.

Achieving the future vision for agriculture and food in Europe will require collective action. Retailers and wholesalers are committed to supporting this transition, driving innovation, and providing consumers with affordable, healthy, and sustainable choices. We look forward to working with policymakers, farmers, middle of the chain actors and other stakeholders to achieve this vital goal.

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