Open Food Facts Days 2025: Notes from a Nordic optimist

Paris gave us sunshine; the community gave us energy. Last weekend (13–14 September) we gathered at the Académie du Climat for Open Food Facts Days 2025—two days that felt like a fast-forward button for food transparency.

I spent much of the time in conversation—with engaged volunteers from Denmark, Germany, and Sweden swapping stories, tools, and tactics. The common thread? A simple, stubborn belief that open data makes food systems fairer. When people can see what’s in their food, they can choose better. And when that data is open, everyone—researchers, startups, cities, schools—can build on it.

What’s next in the Nordics

The next months look bright. We’re shaping projects that boost food transparency and digital literacy across the Nordic region: hands-on workshops for students and citizens, easier contribution flows, and collaborations that help universities and public–private partners use Open Food Facts (OFF) data in the wild. Think: fewer black boxes, more teachable moments; fewer PDFs on a server, more living datasets in the classroom.

Community, the quiet superpower

If you’ve ever contributed to OFF, you know the vibe: kind, helpful, inspiring. That spirit was everywhere in Paris—from quick bug fixes over coffee to hallway demos that turned into impromptu sprints. As an ambassador, I’m thrilled to see the project grow—more contributors, clearer governance, sharper tools, and rising interest from universities and public–private organisations who want to put open data to work.

A small ask

If you’re in the Nordics and curious to join—scan a product, open an issue, propose a class project, or bring your institution on board. The door’s open. Let’s make it easy for everyone to know what’s on their plate—and why it matters.

OFF days 2025 in Paris