| Nudging towards sustainable meat consumption | |
| Brief Description | The greatest leverage of reducing anthropogenic climate impact lies within curbing the increasing trend of global meat consumption. As such, there is a need for new types of tools within policy and business, as targeting food consumption with standard policy measures has proven difficult. This study examines the role of altering choice architectures in grocery stores in Sweden by implementing three types of so-called nudges with the purpose of making consumers reduce their minced beef consumption by supplementing it with carrots and beans. Two nudges belong to the category ‘physical change in the environment’: (1) colourful footsteps on the floor, leading to the more sustainable choice and (2) product replacement of carrots and beans adjacent to minced the meat refrigerator and the taco shelf. The third nudge was ‘information disclosure’ in the form of information signs, one in each decision-making environment saying: “supplement your spaghetti Bolognese/tacos with carrots/beans and your food will last for more people – better for your health, animals and the planet”. The effects of the nudges were tested through a natural field experiment involving 26 food stores in the Stockholm region. The results show a significant increase of consumption of carrots and beans. To determine if the nudge-intervention has an effect (a reduction) also on the minced beef, more research is needed. The study provides insights of what could work when it comes to applying nudges in food stores and concludes that nudging has the potential of being a valuable tool for policy makers and business leaders to steer consumers towards more sustainable consumption. Moreover, the study contributes to the understudied field of green nudging and natural field experiments in food stores. |
| Image | – |
| European Country/Countries | Sweden |
| Field | Consuming: Healthy and Sustainable Consumption, Consuming: Healthy Consumption |
| Type | Intervention |
| Impact | Health, Environmental sustainability |
| Status | Completed |
| Target Group | General population |
| Evaluation | Yes |
| Level | Local |
| INHERIT Perspective | This project has the potential to improve physical health through eating healthier; more vegetables and less meat. It has the potential to contribute to global environmental sustainability by making people eat less meat products. It has a clear emphasis on changing behaviour and raise awareness. It may have an effect on vulnerable groups by making food more affordable when consuming less meat. |
| Detailed description PDF filename | Download file |
| Relevant links | http://www.beteendelabbet.se |
| Contact | linda@beteendelabbet.se |
