Plus One Serve managing director Justine Coates (left) and celebrity chef Matt Moran in Canberra for the launch of the Pledge for More Veg. Picture supplied.

With 40pc of growers ready to walk away and chronic disease on the rise, the Plus One Serve campaign bets on a 75g daily nudge to save the industry and the national health budget.

Falling vegetable consumption has significant consequences for the health of Australians, the cost of healthcare and the sustainability of the nation's vegetable industry.

A new campaign, Plus One Serve by 2030, aims to address those issues by encouraging Australians to eat an extra serve - just 75g more - of vegetables each day.

Research has found Australians consume about 19 kilograms less vegetables per person each year than they did in 2001.

Only 6.5 per cent of adults and 4.6pc of children meet the recommended daily intake of five serves or more.

At the same time, obesity rates have soared, along with chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and malnutrition.

Plus One Serve managing director Justine Coates said the result was a "wicked problem" for individuals, the health system and vegetable growers.

GROWER FLOW-ON

The flow-on effect for industry is so dire recent Ausveg surveys found 40pc cent of growers said they might leave the industry within the next year if there was no improvement, and up to 80pc would exit if they were offered a fair price for their farm.

For years growers have struggled with low profitability, fluctuating consumer demand, and the pressure of competition in a convenience-focused marketplace.

Ms Coates said surveys had found vegetables were often perceived as expensive or unaffordable during the deepening cost-of-living crisis.

Many consumers also did not understand how many serves were contained in loose vegetables, or were confused by pricing systems - especially the per kilogram pricing in supermarkets - and feared "docket shock" at the register.

"When you help them to understand pricing, even per 100 grams, that shifts ... the equation for them in terms of value perception," Ms Coates said.

Concerns about food waste also contributed to resistance, with 25pc of the vegetables people bought ending up in the bin.

"We know it is not going to work to tell consumers to eat more," Ms Coates said.

"And it's not going to work to say, just have more at one meal. It's ... a little bit here, a little bit there. It's nudging those healthy habits."

THREE PILLARS

The campaign focuses on three pillars: knowing vegetables (education and information), eating vegetables (access and affordability), and loving vegetables (making them desirable and easy to enjoy).

"We need to connect with Australians in a way that connects vegetables with culture today," Ms Coates said.

"As well as connecting with younger people in a way that's cool and fun and engaging."

Tactics include advocating for clearer pricing, bundled offerings in stores, working with food service providers, and engaging with schools to normalise vegetables as part of every meal.

PLEDGE FOR VEG

Plus One Serve also features a public pledge, encouraging individuals and organisations - such as health bodies, retailers and food service businesses - to commit to practical steps that facilitate and celebrate increased daily intake.

The Pledge for More Veg was launched in October with a Great Vegetable Cook-Off at Parliament House, Canberra, pitting growers against MPs with guidance from celebrity chef Matt Moran.

Plus One Serve is led by Ausveg and funded by Hort Innovation.

This article appeared in Good Fruit & Vegetables magazine.