Cambridge study shows that changing menus to include 50% plant-based dishes, gently nudges consumers to opt for less meat.
What unsustainable behavior needs to change:
Diets heavy in animal-based foods (meat, dairy, fish and eggs) come with high climate, environmental and public health costs. From greenhouse gas emissions to land use, research has evidenced that plant-based diets are a healthy and sustainable alternative that countries in the global North should embrace to significantly reduce food-related emissions.
There are however social, cultural, psychological, and situational factors that stand in the way of plant-based diets from being widely adopted. In this context, editing one’s options of choice can successfully increase the consumption of plant-based alternatives.
The Green Nudge:
Cambridge University researchers investigated whether increasing the proportion of plant-based options on a menu can lead to increased consumption of vegetarian and vegan dishes among college students. Results suggest that this simple and cost-effective nudge can effectively encourage sustainable food choices.
The study modified the menu of three college cafeterias so that 50% of the dishes on offer were plant-based (vegan or vegetarian). A total of 94.644 meals were assessed and previous students‘ consumer choices were anonymously recorded.
The result: doubling the availability of plant-based options increased sales and consumption of plant-based foods, particularly amongst those who usually preferred meat dishes. In fact, meat sales decreased by 40.8%, 61.8% and 78.8% in the three cafeterias, respectively.
The study evidenced that, even though personal taste matters, food choice is also influenced by availability. Therefore, simply increasing the availability of plant-based options can gently nudge consumers to choose the most sustainable option and provide a gentler alternative to more explicitly top-down initiatives such as „meatless Monday“.
Are you aware of any other nudges that promote plant-based diets? Feel free to get in touch: hello@green-nudges.com
From Teresa Gallo who holds a BA (honours) in Environmental Studies (with a focus on attitudes towards plant-based diets) and a postgraduate certificate in socio-psychological inquiry (with a focus on online climate change denial and identity). She is now independently studying communication for social and behaviour change, as well as nudging techniques.
A behavioural science approach helped Katwijk turn scepticism into trust, fully booking energy coaches, and unlocking 100+ insulation subsidies.