The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) is playing a central role in the EU-funded research project TealHelix, which focuses on developing innovative, inclusive, and consumer-friendly approaches to sustainable food labelling. Launched in September 2024, the project aims to help consumers make informed and conscious purchasing decisions, even without prior knowledge of sustainability issues.
The project brings together an international consortium of 17 partners from 11 European countries, including universities, NGOs, market research companies, and marketing agencies. Led by KU Leuven (Belgium) and backed by a total budget of €6.5 million, the consortium is working on the development of the “Sustainable Food Compass” – a psychometric tool designed to connect consumer behaviour with key sustainability dimensions such as water usage and fair labour practices.
“TealHelix will support consumers across Europe in making better-informed and sustainable choices in the food sector,” said Leonore Lendl-Lewisch from BOKU’s Institute for Marketing and Innovation. Project leader Petra Riefler added that the initiative aims to reach individuals who have previously engaged little with sustainability, making topics such as social justice and ecological impacts more visible and accessible, even directly in supermarkets.
The project is scheduled to run until September 2028.
Source: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna
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