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Growing population and increased demand for food, inefficient resource use and food distribution, environmental impacts, and high rates of food wasted at all stages of the food system are all calling for transition towards more sustainable practices. In this article we apply the concept of circular economy to the case of a sustainable food system. Furthermore, we explore the transition towards a circular food system through the lens of socio-technical transition theory towards sustainability. We discuss challenges and potential solutions for the production stage (focusing on nutrient flow), the consumption stage (focusing on meat consumption), and food waste and surplus management and prevention.

Sustainable development policies have been implemented during several decades, but so far with too little impact apart from awareness raising. Environmental changes, such as biodiversity loss, pollution, and resource overuse, have evolved from local problems to global crises interconnected with social issues like inequality and polarization. The need for rapid and large-scale sustainability transition is evident. Finland is one of the countries with relatively advanced national sustainable development policy and top ranking in several international comparisons of sustainability performance. Focusing on the societal uses of knowledge, this article uses Finland as a case to assess the effectiveness of conventional sustainable development policy, including national strategies, institutions, and practices. Recommendations applicable also for other countries and avenues for more impactful implementation of sustainability solutions are identified, emphasizing the urgent need to adopt a strong sustainability mindset shifting from short-term economic priorities towards coherent long-term targets beyond 2030, with corresponding policy and legal changes.