We live in a world of major disruption, where the individual and the collective stand in opposition against the backdrop of globalization, digital revolution, community development, growing concerns around health and the planet, and now an unprecedented global health crisis.

This book explores how these phenomena influence the social ties that surround food and the way we eat together. Extensive research is presented on institutional recommendations concerning eating together, the role of online communities in supporting weight loss, the perceived consequences of diets, the social phenomena involved in vegetarianism, market segmentation in the case of ritual and religious practices, and the rising tendency to "buy local" and to value local identity. As the Covid-19 crisis adds to the complexity of these issues, its impact is also taken into account.

For both interested readers and the many players involved in the agri-food industry, these reflections shed light on the current developments in "eating together".

Gilles Sere de Lanauze is Professor at the University of Montpellier, France. He is in charge of the agri-food branch of the MRM research laboratory and his research interests include consumer behavior, the differences between attitudes and behaviors, and responsible consumption.