Is the British diet improving?

Does Carbon Footprint Play a Relevant Role in Food Consumer Behaviour? A Focus on Spanish Beef

Carbon footprint has become a reference indicator of the environmental impact of food production. Governments are increasingly demanding a trend towards low-carbon-footprint production in order to reduce the impact on climate change. In this sense, the study of consumers' preferences and assessment of products from the perspective of their carbon footprint is crucial to achieve a green and circular economy. This paper specifically attempted to assess consumer preference and willingness to pay for beef that has been carbon-footprint-labelled as an attribute. In order to attain this objective, a choice experiment was designed and applied to a total of 362 Spanish consumers. The results revealed a positive preference towards beef produced in low-carbon-footprint systems. In addition, the segmentation of these consumers revealed the existence of a group of consumers who prioritise environmental impact over product price.

Stated Preferences for Plant-Based and Cultured Meat: A Choice Experiment Study of Spanish Consumers

Meat production and consumption have been claimed to have negative impacts on the environment, and even on the consumer’s health. In this sense, alternative sources of protein, mainly meat substitutes and cultured meat, have emerged due to those perceived negative effects. Our paper carries out a choice experiment to analyze the preferences of 444 Spanish consumers and their willingness to pay for plant-based and cultured meats, as compared to conventional meat. Spain was considered of interest for this study due to its significant gastronomic culture, with high-quality meat products that make a great contribution to the economy, meaning that this could be a suitable and also challenging market in which to test alternative sources of protein. The findings show that consumers’ motivations and their interactions with these products are complex. Additionally, a cluster analysis allowed us to identify three types of consumers in terms of preference for these products: price-sensitive millennials, conscious/concerned consumers, and indifferent consumers. Only one group showed some level of acceptance of these alternative products meats.

Determinants of Portion Size in Children and Adolescents: Insights from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (2008-2016)

Large portion sizes have been identified as contributing to overweight and obesity, particularly in children and adolescents. This study examined predictors of portion sizes of high energy snack foods eaten by children aged 1.5–18 years. Specifically, we examined whether portion sizes were adjusted for age, and what external features of the environment might be linked to large portion sizes. Portion sizes were derived from four-day food diaries that form the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Diaries from 5942 children were examined and multilevel models were used to discover whether age, gender, location, time of day, household income, and watching TV while eating predicted portion sizes of savoury snacks, chocolate, confectionery and biscuits. Portion sizes of all the target foods were predicted by age. Boys had larger portions, and portion sizes were larger when target foods were consumed later in the day. Portion sizes were larger outside the home, for example in leisure venues, but the target foods were eaten more frequently in the home. As dietary patterns change to include more snack intake outside the home, these locations could be an important space to target for interventions for portion control.