Living labs as ethical spaces: fostering innovation and sustainability in food systems

We examine the role of living labs as ethical spaces in driving sustainability transitions in food systems through participatory experimentation, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge exchange. We conceptualise living labs as dynamic environments that integrate diverse actors, including policymakers, researchers, farmers, and consumers, into co-creative processes that foster inclusive governance. While ethical spaces have traditionally been associated with Indigenous worldviews, which emphasise respect, reciprocity, and dialogue, living labs differ in their proactive approach to innovation and systemic change. Living labs facilitate collaborative problem-solving to address food sovereignty between real-world experimentation and social innovation, contributing to food sovereignty and social justice. We argue that ethical governance within food systems requires frameworks that balance economic efficiency with social equity, mitigating power imbalances that often favour corporate-dominated models. We analyse living labs’ contributions to sustainability transitions and highlight the potential of experimental governance in fostering resilient food systems and innovation. We advocate for the need for policy mechanisms that support community-led food initiatives rooted in knowledge exchange and experimentation while ensuring equitable access to resources and decision-making power. Living labs, if structured inclusively, can serve as transformative ethical spaces that bridge the gap between scientific knowledge, grassroots innovations for new product development, and policy frameworks, ultimately fostering just and sustainable food futures.