Foodwatch head criticizes political use of food identity

Foodwatch Managing Director Chris Methmann has criticized the way food choices are being used as political tools in Germany. He noted a growing trend where dietary habits are simplified into political identities, such as the stereotype that ‘tofu is left, meat is right’.

Methmann argued that political actors, particularly right-wing groups like the AfD and the CDU/CSU, have recognized that the debate over food can be used to generate significant attention and electoral success. He pointed to the frequent use of grilling at campaign events as a calculated move to tap into the emotional nature of food, which serves as a core component of personal identity.