The core of discontent with the food system in Spain

Abstract

Across various scientific disciplines, the detrimental effects of the food system on both human health and the environment are well documented. In response, institutions have sought to address these issues by promoting a model of food consumption that is healthy, sustainable, and equitable. While the public broadly shares this diagnosis, it remains unclear how individuals engage with the processes and actors that constitute the food system, and to what extent their decisions align with the institutional vision of ideal food practices.

Taking as a point of departure the anthropological anxiety inherent in food choice within modernity, this study examines the public’s discontent with the contemporary food system. To this end, a nationwide survey was conducted to assess levels of satisfaction with various aspects of food-related experience: what is consumed, how food is prepared both at home and in restaurants, how it is marketed and purchased, and how it is produced, packaged, and processed.

Findings reveal a society experiencing moderate discontent with the food system. The primary sources of anxiety are located among the intermediaries’ agents. While Fischler posited an anthropological unease surrounding food selection, the present data suggest that this anxiety is, to some extent, alleviated through domestic food management. Moreover, public attitudes toward the food system do not exhibit clear alignment with the institutional paradigm being promoted