Future Developments in the EU Food Sector

Three main trends in the EU food sector are discussed in this chapter: changing consumer preferences, the continuing focus on food safety and the adoption of digital technologies in the food supply chain. Next, the chapter discusses the main policy developments that will continue to affect the competitiveness of the EU food sector. The focus in this section will be on the EU’s regional trade agreements and the prominent role that trade in agricultural and food products takes in the negotiations. A second major policy domain that is discussed relates to innovations in the food sector. The last section gives attention to the concept of the circular economy and the EU’s focus on preventing food waste as part of its circular economy package.