Studies have found that customers are more likely to purchase plant-based foods if they are not labeled as vegan.
Research has revealed that red meat eaters are much more likely to purchase meat- and dairy-free products if they are not marketed as vegan produce.
If a food gift basket was labeled “vegan,” 20% of people would choose it. However, 44% of people chose the same basket marked as 'healthy and sustainable'.
More consumers are turning to plant-based diets. This is because plant-based diets have great health benefits and are considered environmentally sustainable.
However, researchers found that more people would choose vegan foods if they were marketed differently.
Researchers at the University of Southern California conducted a survey across the country to see how people react to labels such as vegan and plant-based compared to healthy, sustainable, or wholesome and sustainable. We conducted a food selection experiment.
The study, presented at the Society for Risk Analysis 2023 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., found that all participants received either a food gift basket without meat and dairy or a food gift basket containing meat and dairy. Selected.
Participants were assigned one of five labels to choose from, meat and dairy free.
Researchers found that food gift baskets that do not contain meat or dairy products boast labels that claim to be healthy, sustainable, or both, but do not contain content that states that they are vegan or plant-based rather than their benefits. I have found that if you are focused on , you are less likely to be selected.
Only 20 percent of participants chose a meat and dairy-free food basket when it was labeled vegan, compared to 27 percent when it was labeled plant-based.
Approximately 42% of participants would choose a food basket without meat or dairy if it was marked as healthy, 43% would choose it if it was marked as sustainable, and 44% would choose it if it was marked as sustainable. We chose it if it was tagged as healthy and sustainable.
“Low-cost intervention”
Dr. Patricia Sleboda, assistant professor of psychology at the City University of New York, said of the results: “This labeling effect was particularly pronounced among individuals who identified as red meat eaters and was maintained across sociodemographic groups.”
“Label change is therefore a low-cost, scalable intervention to promote healthy and environmentally sustainable food choices.”
The United Nations Environment Program announced this month that vegan alternatives can help reduce the carbon footprint of meat and dairy products, especially in rich countries.
Livestock products account for 14.5 to 20 percent of global emissions as a result of direct methane emissions, feed, land use change, and global supply chains.
However, despite the global trend towards veganism, meat consumption in the UK appears to be on the rise.
According to Statista data released in August, the average person in the UK will eat 136 pounds of meat in 2022, compared to 123 pounds in 2012.
A YouGov poll in July this year found that 2 per cent of the UK population follow a plant-based or vegan diet, and 5 per cent describe themselves as vegetarian.
Recent data from the Food Standards Agency found that 41 per cent of respondents always or mostly buy food with a lower environmental impact, down from 49 per cent in mid-2020.
Buying British food is a priority
In contrast, 60% of people say they always or mostly buy food produced in the UK, making British food a higher priority for consumers. ing.
A review published in Germany last month suggests that replacing meat and dairy products with grains, nuts, beans and olive oil reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
The NHS website says vegans should consume “fortified dairy alternatives” such as soy drinks, yoghurts, beans, legumes, other proteins and other supplements to ensure a healthy diet. I'm giving advice.
