Eat Europe and Farm Europe welcome the European Commission’s renewed commitment to fighting cancer and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on the occasion of the five-year anniversary of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. All initiatives aimed at reducing cancer incidence and improving public health are, in principle, commendable and necessary.

Commenting the European Code Against Cancer, Eat Europe and Farm Europe believe that this anniversary represents yet another missed opportunity to clearly address the real dietary risk factors linked to cancer and NCDs when it comes to food consumption patterns.

Current policy narratives continue to oversimplify the relationship between food and health, unfairly targeting minimally processed foods such as meat, produced without additives or ingredients that alter flavour, colour, or palatability. Instead, studies confirm – as only partially recognised – the need to seriously address overconsumption of ultra-processed products which are widely recognised as genuine contributors to poor health outcomes.

Similarly, a blanket penalisation of alcohol consumption fails to reflect nutritional and cultural realities. Moderate consumption of certain alcoholic beverages, such as wine, when part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, can have a neutral or even positive role for human health. Public health policies must distinguish between abuse and moderation, rather than adopting prohibition-style approaches.

Farm Europe and Eat Europe also question the effectiveness of fiscal measures such as food taxes. Evidence shows that such taxes often lead to a reduction in product quality, as producers reformulate to remain competitive, without delivering meaningful long-term health benefits for consumers.

Likewise, front-of-pack labelling schemes such as Nutri-Score risk misleading rather than educating consumers. By reducing complex foods to simplistic scores, these labels can encourage choices that appear “healthier” on paper but are nutritionally unbalanced or highly processed.

Instead of punitive and reductive measures, Eat Europe and Farm Europe call for a shift towards education, quality, and transparency. In particular, we urge EU institutions and Member States to:

1. Launch comprehensive nutrition education programmes starting in schools
2. Direct public procurement towards local, seasonal and high-quality products
3. Promote clear information on balanced and healthy diets
4. Improve consumer awarness of food origin and level of processing

Fighting cancer and NCDs requires empowering citizens with knowledge, not confusing them with oversimplified labels or discouraging the consumption of traditional, minimally processed foods that are part of Europe’s cultural and nutritional heritage.

Farm Europe and Eat Europe remain ready to work with EU institutions to develop evidence-based, culturally sensitive, and effective food policies that truly support long-term public health.