Towards sustainable food production: a scenario study of the European pork sector

Abstract

European pork supply chains, like other agri-food supply chains, currently face numerous challenges such as globalization, emerging markets, changing consumer requirements, and new governmental regulations related to issues such as environmental pollution and food safety. These challenges require continuous innovation of supply chain network structures, reconsideration of business processes, relocation of logistics infrastructures and renewed allocation of chain activities to these infrastructures in order to achieve sustainable performances. This paper presents a scenario analysis of the spatial allocation of pork supply chain activities in Europe. Supply chain production and distribution activities are optimized in various scenarios based on economic and sustainability performance indicators. A mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model, which includes piglet production, fattening, slaughtering of pigs, processing of pork and pork consumption, is used to analyse the scenarios. The results reveal major opportunities for reductions in cost as well as in CO2 equivalent emissions if a European sector perspective is taken and some chain activities are relocated to other countries. However, as minimizing costs will not always lead to an optimal reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions, a differentiated strategy is needed for the European pork sector to move towards more sustainable production.