In Rotterdam, but also in other Dutch cities, food supply in public spaces has increased sharply in the past 15 years and the share of (unhealthy) fast food has grown strongly. Since 2004, the fast food share in Rotterdam has grown by 46%¹. This increase is greatest in neighborhoods with a low socio-economic score. While tax and VAT regulations are part of a wider national campaign for healthy food, excluding new fast food and snack restaurants in certain areas is legally more complex and requires coordinated and targeted actions by individual municipalities.  

Europeans are facing unprecedented challenges because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns, the increased cost of living, geopolitical tensions (particularly the war in Ukraine) and environmental pressures (severe heat, drought, wildfires, floods, etc.).  These challenges have knock-on effects on the availability and affordability of food for most Europeans, including healthier and more sustainable options.