Table 4 Themes and subthemes identified in the focus groups
Themes | Subthemes | Sample quotes |
|---|---|---|
Theme 1. Actions to overcome the challenge of implementing a more sustainable and healthier food system | Food composition | “So, giving principles and guidelines from the ready guidelines that we have from FAO, and you may be doing for the industry some specific guidelines that could be useful for reformulating, taking into account all the aspects we already agreed in the recommendations of the reports.” (I38: Communication and Policies) |
Food retail | “We should find ways to influence also the parents more directly, […] to influence consumer in general, […] for instance, changing completely the way food is displayed in supermarket to incentivise a different type of consumption.” (I4: Environmental Footprints) | |
Food provision | “Food-based dietary guidelines which are both healthy and sustainable in each region.” (I10: Food Profiling—Prioritization and Modelling) | |
Theme 2. Characteristics of the action process for implementing a more sustainable and healthier food system | Multi-stakeholder | “Cross-sectoral working group of specialists that know a lot in their area, because then we would learn from each other.” (I3: Government Perspective) “I see like at least three […] but can be like other stakeholders in three areas. One is education, second one is health, and then is like the social security […] perhaps the challenge we face is that the three don’t cooperate, don’t collaborate, don’t speak to each other…” (I30: Environmental Footprints) |
Evidence-based | “You would create some evidence, you would publish some papers, and then you would start working towards some kind of a goal.” (I29: Communication and Policies) | |
Adapted to the context | “The difficulty is we cannot use the same standard everywhere and there is a need for adaptation between cities, regions, countries depending on the food system.” (I21: Communication and Policies) “I think it’s each country has so much as a different reality that you cannot have a model that fit for all.” (I20: General Health View (Health, Research, Policies)) | |
Theme 3. Resources needed to implement specific actions | Resources | “Knowledge, skills and also materials and infrastructure, they are all needed.” (I26: Government Perspective) |
Obstacles to implementing actions | “I’ve seen some limitations in some countries regarding the budget funding.” (I21: Communication and Policies) |