Research: National foodservice decarbonisation

In 2026, Dr David Fechner of The University of Queensland was awarded an Australian Research Council (ARC) Early Career Industry Fellowship to lead social science research in national foodservice decarbonisation.

The project will take place over three years and is a collaborative effort with support from leading foodservice provider Compass Group Australia, food manufacturer v2food, and The University of Queensland. The project was originally initiated with the support of Food Frontier, and following the merger of Food Frontier into CAA, has been integrated into CAA’s operational plan.

The project will involve co-designing and experimentally testing innovative behaviour change interventions that promote sustainable food choices across diverse dining contexts. It will:

• Investigate how consumers make food choices in varied settings.
• Test behavioural interventions such as menu redesign, buffet restructuring, dining space adjustments, and targeted promotion and education campaigns to encourage sustainable choices.
• Produce a practical, evidence-based playbook to guide foodservice providers in promoting environmentally sustainable meals.