Table 1.

Themes, subthemes and illustrative insights

Themes  Subthemes  Examples illustrative insights from participants 
1. Educating for sustainability: building knowledge, awareness, and behavioral change Knowledge gaps as barriers to sustainable behavior There is a low level of public understanding of sustainable practices and a need for clearer explanations of environmental impacts 
  Gaps in formal education Schools do not sufficiently address food sustainability, particularly in relation to packaging, waste reduction, and critical consumption 
  Integrating sensory learning to enhance food sustainability Teaching students to assess food freshness using sensory cues could significantly reduce household waste 
  Expanding informal learning pathways for wider stakeholder engagement   Peer-to-peer learning and practical demonstrations are viewed as powerful methods for influencing both consumer and industry practices 
2. Policy and structural supports Policy frameworks to incentivise sustainability A coherent national policy, stronger cross-border coordination, and more effective incentives are required to support sustainable production 
  Empowering consumers and businesses to act sustainably Simpler processes and supportive structures are needed to make sustainable choices more accessible and affordable 
  Developing infrastructure to enable sustainable choices Local food hubs, refill stations, and waste-reducing infrastructure are essential for enabling sustainable practice 
3. Stakeholder engagement Fostering inclusive stakeholder participation Engagement efforts should better include youth, community groups, and consumers to build shared responsibility, such as though urban farming, community gardens, and initiatives involving children 
  Stakeholder collaboration develops agency  Successful collaborative initiatives, including pilot farm programmes, serve as strong models for fostering agency and innovation 
  Understanding stakeholder sustainability priorities  Tensions persist between economic and environmental priorities, underscoring the need for mechanisms that support businesses to adopt sustainable practices 
4. Innovation as a driver of transformation in the agri-food sector Innovating food packaging Opportunities exist to advance sustainable packaging through biodegradable materials and improved labelling technologies 
  Alternative models of food production  Alternative food production models prioritise reducing waste and strengthening local supply by using imperfect or surplus produce and supporting community-based growing 
Source(s): Authors’ own work

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