Image: Nina Krug, Der Spiegel
In an interview in Der Spiegel on August 12, 2025, Dr. Amelie Michalke, Lennart Stein, and Prof. Dr. Tobias Gaugler (Nuremberg Institute of Technology) discussed new findings on the true costs of food. At Der Spiegel’s request, Gaugler’s team calculated external costs in health, soil, water, and climate for a broad range of products. Prof. Gaugler noted that these follow-up costs can be “up to ten times higher” than in a system that avoids them from the outset. The researchers therefore call for applying the polluter-pays principle to future food prices. Stein adds that funds available in the system, especially EU agricultural subsidies, should be used “more strategically to incentivize sustainable processes.” The article highlights the societal and ecological costs that are not included in current pricing and the need for political reform. Alongside the online feature, Der Spiegel also published parts of the interview and true cost calculations for cheese, pasta, olive oil, ground beef, coffee, and orange juice in its print edition (No. 34 / Aug 14, 2025). Read the online version here.
12 August
Der Spiegel
Image: Nina Krug, Der Spiegel
In an interview in Der Spiegel on August 12, 2025, Dr. Amelie Michalke, Lennart Stein, and Prof. Dr. Tobias Gaugler (Nuremberg Institute of Technology) discussed new findings on the true costs of food. At Der Spiegel’s request, Gaugler’s team calculated external costs in health, soil, water, and climate for a broad range of products. Prof. Gaugler noted that these follow-up costs can be “up to ten times higher” than in a system that avoids them from the outset. The researchers therefore call for applying the polluter-pays principle to future food prices. Stein adds that funds available in the system, especially EU agricultural subsidies, should be used “more strategically to incentivize sustainable processes.” The article highlights the societal and ecological costs that are not included in current pricing and the need for political reform. Alongside the online feature, Der Spiegel also published parts of the interview and true cost calculations for cheese, pasta, olive oil, ground beef, coffee, and orange juice in its print edition (No. 34 / Aug 14, 2025). Read the online version here.
12 August
Der Spiegel
