Food Ethics Council

Our work makes a difference, often behind the scenes. Here are some success stories...

Pioneering new tools

The Ethical Matrix - a tool developed by council members – has been used by experts, policy makers, schools and the public to weigh up the pros and cons of innovations such as functional foods that are marketed with health claims.

For details and examples see:

• www.foodethicscouncil.org/ourwork/tools
• www.ethicaltools.info
• www.ethicalmatrix.net
• www.bbsrc.ac.uk/life/cleanup/issues.html

Holding policy to account

Research in food and farming shapes innovations – novel ingredients, genetically modified plants and animal breeds, for example – that affect the choices available to people. Our Just knowledge? report showed how research and innovation could be more accountable to citizens and 'future proof'.

“The Food Ethics Council’s Just knowledge report made us think much more deeply about how to run an accountable scientific programme.”

Professor Philip Lowe OBE, Director of the UK’s £24 million Rural Economy and Land Use research programme

Sparking public debate

Our Getting personal report showed that trends in the industry and nutritional science towards single-serve foods, health-focused marketing and genetically ‘personalised’ dietary advice did not live up to their claims to be good for public health. This work has been widely cited and sparked an episode of the BBC Food Programme.

Making regulation more transparent

We have challenged regulators to improve public access to information about drugs used on farm animals and we advised them how to make their decision-making more transparent.

Creating a space for deliberation

Our deliberative workshops on Power in the food system helped policy-makers, businesses and campaigners identify new ways to make the food system more answerable to the public.