Food system transparency that works for SMEs

Dahl, Patrik, Weldon, James, Bear, Christopher ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7130-515X and Mukherjee, Ananya ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4007-5459 2026. Food system transparency that works for SMEs. Cardiff: TITAN Project. Available at: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/189538/1/TITA...

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Abstract

Highlights We recommend that policymakers create the conditions for SMEs to meaningfully buy into food system transparency and its regulation. This will involve (1) Establishing the legal foundations and infrastructure for digital transparency and fair data control (2) Safeguarding SME's digital sovereignty and enabling ownership of digitalisation (3) Regulating with market advantages of SMEs in mind. Decisions at the level of policy need to reflect the realities of food system actors on the ground. In particular, the perspectives of SMEs are under and misrepresented when they are positioned as a reason to reduce regulation. Quite the contrary, SMEs have an interest in implementing regulation, if it is regulation that works for them. Our research finds that both reporting requirements and digitalisation currently place the burden for collecting data on upstream actors like SMEs while downstream actors use this data for their commercial benefit. Adopting the recommended approaches will enable SMEs, as more flexible and innovative actors that are closer to the realities of both food production and consumption, to lead the charge towards food system transparency that delivers on sustainability, safety and health.

Item Type:	Report (Other)
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Geography and Planning (GEOPL)
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General) J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe)
Publisher:	TITAN Project
Funders:	Innovate UK, European Commission
Projects:	Enabling transparency in food supply chains by implementing innovative solutions to boost health, sustainability, and food safety (TITAN)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	11 September 2026
Last Modified:	11 Sep 2026 15:44
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/189538

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