1
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Hughes JP, Weick M, Vasiljevic M. Can environmental traffic light warning labels reduce meat meal selection? A randomised experimental study with UK meat consumers. Appetite 2024; 200:107500. [PMID: 38763297 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
An important area for tackling climate change and health improvement is reducing population meat consumption. Traffic light labelling has successfully been implemented to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods and sugary drinks. The present research extends this work to meat selection. We tested 1,300 adult UK meat consumers (with quotas for age and gender to approximate a nationally representative sample). Participants were randomised into one of four experimental groups: (1) a red traffic light label with the text 'High Climate Impact' displayed on meat meal options only; (2) a green traffic light label with the text 'Low Climate Impact' displayed on vegetarian and vegan meal options only; (3) red/orange/green (ROG) traffic light labels displayed on relevant meals; and (4) control (no label present). Participants made meal selections within their randomised group across 20 meal trials. A beta-regression was performed to ascertain the change in primary outcome (proportion of meat meals selected across the 20 trials) across the different groups. The red-only label and ROG labels significantly reduced the proportion of meat meals selected compared to the unlabelled control group, by 9.2% and 9.8% respectively. The green-only label did not differ from control. Negatively framed traffic light labels seem to be effective at discouraging meat selection. The labels appeared to be moderately acceptable to meat eaters, who did not think the labels impacted the appeal of the products. These encouraging findings require replication in real-life settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack P Hughes
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
| | - Mario Weick
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
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2
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Arrazat L, Nicklaus S, de Lauzon-Guillain B, Marty L. Behavioural determinants of healthy and environmentally friendly diets in French university students. Appetite 2024; 200:107532. [PMID: 38815688 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Although encouraging the shift toward sustainable diets in young adults is a major challenge to preserve population and planet health, the precursors of sustainable diets in this population remain unknown. This study aimed to identify the behavioural determinants of healthier and more environmentally friendly diets among university students. A sample of 582 French university students reported their food consumption using an online 125-item food frequency questionnaire. The nutritional quality (adherence to French recommendations, sPNNS-GS2) and the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) of students' diets were calculated for an isocaloric diet. Behavioural determinants were measured based on a literature review and classified into the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) framework. Linear models, adjusted for socioeconomic characteristics, were run to identify the most prominent behavioural predictors of nutritional quality and GHGE of students' diets. Higher cooking skills (β = 0.38, p = 0.01) and health motives (β = 0.91, p < 0.001) were associated with higher nutritional quality. Greater environmental knowledge was linked to lower GHGE (β = -0.07, p = 0.002), while health and weight control motives were associated with higher GHGE (β = 0.26, p = 0.02 and β = 0.39, p < 0.001). Enhancing cooking skills and environmental knowledge could enable healthy and environmentally friendly diets, but health-based motives can act as a lever and as a barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Arrazat
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, 17 Rue Sully, 21065, Dijon Cedex, France
| | - Sophie Nicklaus
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, 17 Rue Sully, 21065, Dijon Cedex, France
| | - Blandine de Lauzon-Guillain
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), F-75004, Paris, France
| | - Lucile Marty
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université de Bourgogne, 17 Rue Sully, 21065, Dijon Cedex, France.
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3
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Fernqvist F, Spendrup S, Tellström R. Understanding food choice: A systematic review of reviews. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32492. [PMID: 38952383 PMCID: PMC11215270 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The topic of consumer food choice has received much attention among researchers and stakeholders within the food industry. However, in order to better facilitate food consumption towards a more sustainable direction, we need increased knowledge and understanding of factors that influence consumers' food choice. This study is a systematic review of reviews conducted between 2017 and 2021, summarising and synthesising reviews on food choice. The aim is to provide an update of the current knowledge on consumer food choice, point out what is already known, and identify knowledge gaps to enable a prioritisation for future research. The analysis highlights decisive factors in food choice, i.e. product, available information, price, context, personal and group influences and sensory perceptions. The synthesis of findings follows a socioecological model, integrating four different levels of the social and environmental systems: the physical food environment, the social and community level, interpersonal relations and, finally, individual characteristics such as psychological and behavioural factors. Results show that behavioural patterns, influenced by strong informal institutions, such as culture and norms, can be difficult to break; for example, changing into more sustainable food behaviour. The findings suggest that more interdisciplinary research and studies in real-life settings are needed to grasp the complexity of food choice. This would allow for us to better understand consumers as social beings shaped by, among other things, the physical environment, social interactions, and culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik Fernqvist
- Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 190, 234 22, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Sara Spendrup
- Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 190, 234 22, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Richard Tellström
- SLU Future Food, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7082, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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4
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Taillie LS, Wolfson JA, Prestemon CE, Bercholz M, Ewoldt L, Ruggles PR, Hall MG. The impact of an eco-score label on US consumers' perceptions of environmental sustainability and intentions to purchase food: A randomized experiment. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306123. [PMID: 38935699 PMCID: PMC11210794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Front-of-package labels indicating a product's environmental footprint (i.e., eco-score labels) offer promise to shift consumers towards more sustainable food choices. This study aimed to understand whether eco-score labels impacted consumers' perceptions of environmental sustainability and intentions to purchase sustainable and unsustainable foods. US parents (n = 1,013) completed an online experiment in which they were shown 8 food products (4 sustainable and 4 unsustainable). Participants were randomized to a control (n = 503, barcode on product packaging) or eco-score label group (n = 510, eco-score label on product packaging). The eco-score label was color-coded with a grade of A-F based on the product's environmental footprint, where "A" indicates relative sustainability and "F" indicates relative unsustainability. Participants rated each product's environmental sustainability and their future likelihood of purchase. We used multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models and examined moderation by product category and sociodemographic characteristics. The eco-score label lowered perceived sustainability of unsustainable products by 13% in relative terms or -0.4 in absolute terms (95% CI -0.5, -0.3; p<0.001). The eco-score label increased perceived sustainability of sustainable products by 16% in relative terms or 0.6 in absolute terms (95% CI 0.5, 0.7, p<0.001). Effects on purchase intentions were smaller, with a 6% decrease for unsustainable products (p = 0.001) and an 8% increase for sustainable products (p<0.001). For unsustainable products, the effect of eco-score labels on sustainability perceptions was greater for older adults, men, participants with higher educational attainment, and participants with higher incomes. For sustainable products, the effect of ecolabels on sustainability perceptions was greater for those with higher educational attainment. Eco-score labels have the potential to direct consumers towards more sustainable products. Future studies should investigate eco-score label effectiveness on behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Smith Taillie
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Julia A. Wolfson
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Carmen E. Prestemon
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Maxime Bercholz
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Laina Ewoldt
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Phoebe R. Ruggles
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Marissa G. Hall
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
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5
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Agyemang P, Kwofie EM, Baum JI, Wang D. The design and development of a dashboard for improving sustainable healthy food choices. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172726. [PMID: 38692329 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Over the last decade, several digital tools have been designed to provide consumers with nutritional and environmental impact information about their food choices post-consumption. Many of these tools lack behavioral change modules, have low user engagement, and ignore inherent environmental nutrition trade-offs to stimulate dietary change. This study presents the design and development of a decision support system to enhance consumer health while meeting sustainability goals from a pre-consumption perspective. The proposed decision support system, Dashboard for Improving Sustainable Healthy (DISH) food choices, employs behavioral features, traffic light labels, and nudges to inform end-users about the nutritional health performance and environmental impact of meals. DISH uses a simple metric that allows end-users to explore the potential minutes of healthy and productive life gained or lost from consuming 100 kcal of a meal. The metric combines the positive or negative nutritional health effects (μ-DALYs) of consuming a meal and environmental damage (endpoint impact expressed in DALYs) on human health. In the DISH application, end-users are rewarded or deducted EnCoins, which represent the number of silver or gold coins lost or gained based on the cost ($) of environmental damage (midpoint impacts) of a meal compared to reference sustainable healthy and unsustainable and unhealthy meal. DISH's gamification module enables end-users to track the potential minutes of healthy and productive life gained/lost and gold or silver rewards or deductions from consuming 100 kcal of a selected meal through cumulative minutes gained or lost and EnCoins. In promoting a sustainable diet culture, the gamification module enables users to create groups and communities where friends and families can track their sustainability performance through meal decisions. The DISH application is currently available online and can be accessed by an end-user through any device. Further pilot studies will focus on testing the technology in partner campus cafeterias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prince Agyemang
- Bioresource Engineering Department, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue H9X 3V9, Quebec, Canada; Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, 203 Engineering Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Ebenezer M Kwofie
- Bioresource Engineering Department, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue H9X 3V9, Quebec, Canada; Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, 203 Engineering Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
| | - Jamie I Baum
- Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas, 2650 N. Young Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA
| | - Dongyi Wang
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, 203 Engineering Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
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6
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van der Vliet N, Stuber JM, Raghoebar S, Roordink E, van der Swaluw K. Nudging plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy in a real-life online supermarket: A randomized controlled trial. Appetite 2024; 196:107278. [PMID: 38373537 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
A shift from predominantly animal-based to plant-based consumption can benefit both planetary and public health. Nudging may help to promote such a shift. This study investigated nudge effects on plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy in an online supermarket. We conducted a two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled real-life online supermarket trial. Each customer transaction was randomized to a control arm (regular online supermarket) or an intervention arm (addition of placement, hedonic property and dynamic social norm nudges promoting meat and dairy alternatives). Outcomes were the aggregate of meat and dairy alternative purchases (primary outcome), the number of meat purchases, dairy purchases, meat alternative purchases, and dairy alternative purchases (secondary), and retailer revenue (tertiary). Generalized linear mixed models with a Conway-Maxwell Poisson distribution were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Analyzed data included 8488 transactions by participants (n = 4,266 control arm, n = 4,222 intervention arm), out of which 2,411 (66%) were aged above 45 years, 5,660 (67%) were females, and 1,970 (23%) lived in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods. Intervention arm participants purchased 10% (IRR 1.10 (95% CI 0.99-1.23)) more meat and dairy alternatives and 16% (1.16 (0.99-1.36)) more meat alternatives than control arm participants, although these findings are not statistically significant. There was no difference in dairy alternative purchases (1.00 (0.90-1.10)). Intervention arm participants purchased 3% less meats (0.97 (0.93-1.02)) and 2% less dairy products (0.98 (0.95-1.02)) than control participants. Retailer revenue was not affected (0.98 (0.95-1.01)). Online nudging strategies alone did not lead to a statistically significant higher amount of plant-based purchases, but replication of this work is needed with increased study power. Future studies should also consider nudging strategies as part of a broader set of policies to promote plant-based purchases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospectively registered on 14th of May 2022. ISRCTN16569242 (https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16569242).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina van der Vliet
- National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Tilburg University Graduate School, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5000 LE, Tilburg, the Netherlands
| | - Josine M Stuber
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Epidemiology and Data Science, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Sanne Raghoebar
- Wageningen University and Research, Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles Group, Education and Learning Sciences Group, 6706 KN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Eline Roordink
- National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Koen van der Swaluw
- National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Radboud University, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Nijmegen School of Management, 6500 HK, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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7
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Tiboni-Oschilewski O, Abarca M, Santa Rosa Pierre F, Rosi A, Biasini B, Menozzi D, Scazzina F. Strengths and weaknesses of food eco-labeling: a review. Front Nutr 2024; 11:1381135. [PMID: 38600991 PMCID: PMC11005915 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1381135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Food labeling is increasingly expanding and adding more information to the food package. There is strong evidence about nutrition labeling effectiveness in driving food choice, especially if displayed in the front of package (FoP). Despite the growing attention to nutrition and sustainable diets, few countries have implemented sustainable labels or eco-labels that could address economic, social and/or environmental concerns. Implementing new techniques of eco-labeling emerges as a consumer-focused solution. However, evidence of the effectiveness of eco-labeling in driving consumers' choices is heterogeneous and not univocal. Thus, this review aims to summarize the evidence about the effectiveness of FoP eco-labeling in driving food choice and provide a reference framework of the eco-labeling initiatives relative to food package labeling. This narrative review addresses both the potential benefits as well as the main concerns that arise from the use of eco-labels. Although eco-labeling seems to provide a series of sustainability benefits for producers and consumers, the implementation of such policies should take into consideration potential trade-offs and inter-sectorial coordination to obtain bigger impacts, assuming that a policy itself cannot transform the whole food system. Eco-labeling could be encouraged and implemented within a set of policies shaping sustainable food systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alice Rosi
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Davide Menozzi
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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8
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Anders S, Malzoni M, An H. Altruism and anti-anthropocentrism shape individual choice intentions for pro-environmental and ethical meat credence attributes. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294531. [PMID: 38015982 PMCID: PMC10684090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Food consumption patterns are changing as consumers are becoming more aware and interested in sustainable and ethical food production practices. The growing disconnect between primary (livestock) agriculture and society reinforces the importance of research examining the motivations behind consumer purchase behaviors. However, evidence that links latent consumer psychometric factors and observed heterogeneity in concerns for agriculture to individual food purchase intentions remains scarce. We employ large-scale survey data and an advanced Structural Equation Modelling approach to identify and estimate the direct and indirect effects of latent fundamental values and observed consumer characteristics on individuals' attitudes and purchase intentions for certified humane (CH), organic, and non-hormone added labeled meat products. Our findings suggest that human values, including self-transcendence and openness to change, drive farm animal welfare concerns and individuals' choices of certified meat products. Information and engagement in social media positively affect individuals' perceptions and concerns for farm animal welfare. Individuals guided by altruistic and anti-anthropocentric norms are more oriented towards sustainable and ethical food shopping behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Anders
- Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Marina Malzoni
- Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Henry An
- Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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9
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Hughes JP, Weick M, Vasiljevic M. Impact of pictorial warning labels on meat meal selection: A randomised experimental study with UK meat consumers. Appetite 2023; 190:107026. [PMID: 37689371 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Meat consumption has been linked to adverse health consequences, worsening climate change, and the risk of pandemics. Meat is however a popular food product and dissuading people from consuming meat has proven difficult. Outside the realm of meat consumption, previous research has shown that pictorial warning labels are effective at curbing tobacco smoking and reducing the consumption of sugary drinks and alcohol. The present research extends this work to hypothetical meat meal selection, using an online decision-making task to test whether people's meal choices can be influenced by pictorial warning labels focused on the health, climate, or pandemic risks associated with consuming meat. Setting quotas for age and gender to approximate a UK nationally representative sample, a total of n = 1001 adult meat consumers (aged 18+) were randomised into one of four experimental groups: health pictorial warning label, climate pictorial warning label, pandemic pictorial warning label, or control (no warning label present). All warning labels reduced the proportion of meat meals selected significantly compared to the control group, with reductions ranging from -7.4% to -10%. There were no statistically significant differences in meat meal selection between the different types of warning labels. We discuss implications for future research, policy, and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack P Hughes
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Upper Mountjoy, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
| | - Mario Weick
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Upper Mountjoy, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Milica Vasiljevic
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Upper Mountjoy, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
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10
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Cook B, Costa Leite J, Rayner M, Stoffel S, van Rijn E, Wollgast J. Consumer Interaction with Sustainability Labelling on Food Products: A Narrative Literature Review. Nutrients 2023; 15:3837. [PMID: 37686869 PMCID: PMC10489983 DOI: 10.3390/nu15173837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustainability labelling on food products can help consumers make informed purchasing decisions and support the urgent transition to sustainable food systems. While there is a relatively robust body of evidence on health and nutrition labelling, less is known about the effectiveness of sustainability labelling in facilitating sustainable food choices. This paper investigates the impact of sustainability labelling on consumer understanding, attitudes, and behaviour to support a more nuanced, detailed, and holistic understanding of the evidence. Using a narrative literature review methodology, the paper assesses studies covering environmental, social, and/or animal welfare aspects of sustainability labelling on food products. We found that consumer understanding of sustainability information is often limited, which could hinder behaviour change. While sustainability labelling can influence consumer attitudes and purchasing behaviours, evidence from real consumer settings tends to show small effect sizes. Consumers are generally willing to pay more for sustainability-labelled products, and organic labelling often leads to the highest reported willingness to pay. The review emphasises the importance of trust, suggesting a preference for labelling backed by governments or public authorities. Sustainability labelling that uses intuitively understandable cues has an increased impact, with visual aids such as traffic light colours showing promise. We conclude that further research is needed in real-world settings, using representative populations and exploring the influence of demographic factors, values, and attitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Cook
- Independent Researcher, Oxford OX4 3UD, UK;
| | - João Costa Leite
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy; (J.C.L.); (E.v.R.)
| | - Mike Rayner
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK;
| | - Sandro Stoffel
- Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London (UCL), London WC1E 6BT, UK;
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Medicine (ECPM), University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elaine van Rijn
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy; (J.C.L.); (E.v.R.)
| | - Jan Wollgast
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy; (J.C.L.); (E.v.R.)
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11
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Biasini B, Rosi A, Scazzina F, Menozzi D. Predicting the Adoption of a Sustainable Diet in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy. Nutrients 2023; 15:2784. [PMID: 37375688 DOI: 10.3390/nu15122784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Shifting food choices towards sustainability entails the analysis of dietary behavior determinants. This study aimed to explain and predict the intention to follow a sustainable diet and its adoption in a representative sample of adults (n = 838) in Italy. An online survey based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was developed. The adoption of a sustainable diet was measured as self-perceived behavior, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), and food consumption frequencies. Psychometric analysis and correlations between attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) with both intention and behavior assessments were evaluated. Structural equation models were used to test whether and to what extent attitude, subjective norms, and PBC explained intention and behavior. Significant associations were found between TPB constructs and the behavior measures underlining the main role of intention and PBC in affecting behavior. The applied TPB models explained behavioral intention at most (78%). The results suggested promising interventions in narrowing the attitude-behavior gap to encourage specific adult population groups in Italy to adopt virtuous food consumption habits. Beside the implementation of price mechanism strategies, educational initiatives to increase awareness about food and diet sustainability issues and the reinforcement of the perceived control on food consumption at the individual level are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Biasini
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Alice Rosi
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Francesca Scazzina
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Davide Menozzi
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 27/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
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12
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Grummon AH, Musicus AA, Salvia MG, Thorndike AN, Rimm EB. Impact of Health, Environmental, and Animal Welfare Messages Discouraging Red Meat Consumption: An Online Randomized Experiment. J Acad Nutr Diet 2023; 123:466-476.e26. [PMID: 36223865 PMCID: PMC10166581 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reducing red meat consumption is a key strategy for curbing diet-related chronic diseases and mitigating environmental harms from livestock farming. Messaging interventions aiming to reduce red meat consumption have focused on communicating the animal welfare, health, or environmental harms of red meat. Despite the popularity of these 3 approaches, it remains unknown which is most effective, as limited studies have compared them side by side. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to evaluate responses to red-meat-reduction messages describing animal welfare, health, or environmental harms. DESIGN This was an online randomized experiment. PARTICIPANTS In August 2021, a convenience sample of US adults was recruited via an online panel to complete a survey (n = 2,773 nonvegetarians and vegans were included in primary analyses). INTERVENTION Participants were randomly assigned to view 1 of the 4 following messages: control (neutral, non-red meat message), animal welfare, health, or environmental red-meat-reduction messages. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES After viewing their assigned message, participants ordered hypothetical meals from 2 restaurants (1 full service and 1 quick service) and rated message reactions, perceptions, and intentions. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED Logistic and linear regressions were performed. RESULTS Compared with the control message, exposure to the health and environmental red-meat-reduction messages reduced red meat selection from the full-service restaurant by 6.0 and 8.8 percentage points, respectively (P = .02 and P < .001, respectively), while the animal welfare message did not (reduction of 3.3 percentage points, P = .20). None of the red-meat-reduction messages affected red meat selection from the quick-service restaurant. All 3 red-meat-reduction messages elicited beneficial effects on key predictors of behavior change, including emotions and thinking about harms. CONCLUSIONS Red-meat-reduction messages, especially those describing health or environmental harms, hold promise for reducing red meat selection in some types of restaurants. Additional interventions may be needed to discourage red meat selection across a wider variety of restaurants, for example, by making salient which menu items contain red meat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna H Grummon
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Aviva A Musicus
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Meg G Salvia
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anne N Thorndike
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Eric B Rimm
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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Kühne SJ, Reijnen E, Laasner Vogt L, Baumgartner M. Can carbon labels encourage green food choices? Front Psychol 2023; 13:902869. [PMID: 36778167 PMCID: PMC9912457 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.902869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction A conventionally grown kiwi from Spain or an organic pineapple from Ghana? Which is the more environmentally friendly option? Given that the production and distribution of food is responsible for about a quarter of our CO2e emissions and thus plays a role in climate change the answer to such questions and, accordingly, making the right food product choices is crucial. The problem, however, is that it is difficult for consumers to calculate the CO2e value of food as it depends on several specifications such as the type of food, origin, etc. Could carbon labeling of food circumvent this problem and help consumers make more environmentally friendly choices? Methods In an online experiment, 402 participants had to choose 20 food products from a fictitious online shop. The participants were randomly assigned to either one of three food labeling conditions (Star Rating, Green Foot, and Traffic Light Label, short TLL) or the control condition. Results The labeling conditions resulted in lower overall CO2e emissions, the purchase of more green food products and fewer red food products than in the control condition. The TLL outperformed the other two labels and was also the most accepted. Discussion The carbon TLL is therefore a promising intervention to help consumers to not only choose more environmentally friendly foods, but also make a significant contribution to the fight against climate change.
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14
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Arrazat L, Chambaron S, Arvisenet G, Goisbault I, Charrier JC, Nicklaus S, Marty L. Traffic-light front-of-pack environmental labelling across food categories triggers more environmentally friendly food choices: a randomised controlled trial in virtual reality supermarket. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2023; 20:7. [PMID: 36703160 PMCID: PMC9881283 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-023-01410-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food systems highly contribute to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and shifting towards more environmentally friendly diets is urgently needed. Enabling consumers to compare the environmental impact of food products at point-of-purchase with front-of-pack labelling could be a promising strategy to trigger more environmentally friendly food choices. This strategy remained to be tested. METHODS The effect of a new traffic-light front-of-pack environmental label on food choices was tested in a 2-arm randomised controlled trial in a virtual reality supermarket. Participants (n = 132) chose food products to compose two main meals for an everyday meal scenario and for an environmentally friendly meal scenario with or without the label. The environmental label (ranging from A: green/lowest impact, to E: red/highest impact) was based on the Environmental Footprint (EF) single score calculation across food categories. The effect of the label on the environmental impact of food choices in each scenario was tested using linear mixed models. RESULTS In the everyday meal scenario, the environmental impact of meals was lower in the label condition than in the no label condition (-0.17 ± 0.07 mPt/kg, p = 0.012). This reduction was observed at no nutritional, financial nor hedonic cost. The effectiveness of the label can be attributed to a change in the food categories chosen: less meat-based and more vegetarian meals were chosen with the label. In the environmentally friendly meal scenario, we demonstrated that the label provided new information to the participants as they were able to further reduce the environmental impact of their food choices with the label (-0.19 ± 0.07 mPt/kg, p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS Implementing a front-of-pack environmental label on food products in real supermarkets could increase awareness of the environmental impact of food and contribute to drive more environmentally friendly food choices. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study protocol was pre-registered prior to data collection at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04909372).
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Arrazat
- grid.462804.c0000 0004 0387 2525Centre Des Sciences Du Goût Et de L’Alimentation, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 17 Rue Sully, 21065 Dijon Cedex, France
| | - Stéphanie Chambaron
- grid.462804.c0000 0004 0387 2525Centre Des Sciences Du Goût Et de L’Alimentation, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 17 Rue Sully, 21065 Dijon Cedex, France
| | - Gaëlle Arvisenet
- grid.462804.c0000 0004 0387 2525Centre Des Sciences Du Goût Et de L’Alimentation, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 17 Rue Sully, 21065 Dijon Cedex, France
| | - Isabelle Goisbault
- Strategir – R&D and Image and Technology Department, 5 Rue Foy, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Sophie Nicklaus
- grid.462804.c0000 0004 0387 2525Centre Des Sciences Du Goût Et de L’Alimentation, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 17 Rue Sully, 21065 Dijon Cedex, France
| | - Lucile Marty
- grid.462804.c0000 0004 0387 2525Centre Des Sciences Du Goût Et de L’Alimentation, CNRS, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 17 Rue Sully, 21065 Dijon Cedex, France
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Rossi C, Rivetti F. Young consumers’ purchase behaviour of sustainably-labelled food products. What is the role of scepticism? Food Qual Prefer 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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16
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Castellini G, Vezzulli F, Lambri M, Sacchettini G, Graffigna G, Marques A, Capri E. Perceptions and Liking Distortion from Information about the Nutritional Upgrades in Biofortified Seafood Products. Foods 2022; 11:foods11182808. [PMID: 36140936 PMCID: PMC9497835 DOI: 10.3390/foods11182808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: As biofortified fish meat is becoming increasingly available, the use of supplements within fish feed may impact consumers’ perceptions and their willingness to pay (WTP) for the product. This study focused on evaluating the sensory liking of, and WTP for, fish produced with fortified feed while understanding the role played by the acquired information on fish fortification. (2) Methods: Hedonic ratings and WTP were measured in an experimental bid. The participants (n = 91) were asked to rate pleasantness and WTP during two different rounds: (i) appearance–information–tasting and (ii) appearance–tasting–information. A total of three fish species (carp, seabream, and trout) were presented to the consumers as being either fortified (with iodine, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids) or conventional products. (3) Results: For pleasantness, no significant differences were found between the fortified and conventional fish. In contrast, substantial differences emerged when information regarding the products was provided. Providing the relevant information before tasting affected how much the consumers liked the conventional fish, resulting in a preference for it over the fortified fish. Additionally, consumers are willing to pay more for fortified fish, especially when information with respect to fortification is available. Nevertheless, when information about fortification was provided before tasting, the consumer’s expectations were not fulfilled. (4) Conclusions: The outcomes of this study clearly indicate that the presence of relevant information impacts how much people like fortified versus conventional fish, as well as their WTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Castellini
- EngageMinds Hub, Consumer, Food & Health Engagement Research Center, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
| | - Fosca Vezzulli
- Department for Sustainable Food Process (DiSTAS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
| | - Milena Lambri
- Department for Sustainable Food Process (DiSTAS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0523-599178
| | | | - Guendalina Graffigna
- EngageMinds Hub, Consumer, Food & Health Engagement Research Center, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
| | - António Marques
- Division of Aquaculture and Upgrading (DivAV), Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), 1749-077 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ettore Capri
- Department for Sustainable Food Process (DiSTAS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
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Feng B, Zhuo L, Mekonnen MM, Marston LT, Yang X, Xu Z, Liu Y, Wang W, Li Z, Li M, Ji X, Wu P. Inputs for staple crop production in China drive burden shifting of water and carbon footprints transgressing part of provincial planetary boundaries. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 221:118803. [PMID: 35809385 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Crop production is the biggest water user and key contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing crop yields to ensure adequate food supply under water and land scarcity is excessively dependents on intensive agricultural inputs (such as fertilizers, pesticides, agri-films, or energy), resulting in unintended environmental consequences. Supply chains bringing environmental-intensive inputs from their place of production to the croplands. However, most food-related environmental assessments ignore the environmental burden of agricultural input production, trade, and consumption. Here, we estimate spatially-detailed water (WF) and carbon footprints (CF) of wheat, maize, and rice production in China with extended system boundary from upstream raw material mining to the field. The agricultural inputs account for up to 24% and 89% of a crop's WF and CF, respectively, at the provincial level. The total local generated WF in Chinese northern provinces and CF in Shanxi and Inner Mongolia provinces for producing crops and agricultural inputs transgresses the corresponding downscaled blue water and carbon planetary boundaries. The study broadens the scope of traditional environmental impact assessments in agricultural production and sheds light on the significances to manage the linkages between the crop production and the agricultural inputs' upstream supply chains towards more efficient water use and less greenhouse gas emissions in food system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - La Zhuo
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Mesfin M Mekonnen
- Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, United States
| | - Landon T Marston
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Xi Yang
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Zenghui Xu
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yilin Liu
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhibin Li
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Li
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | | | - Pute Wu
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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18
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Assessment of the Climate-Smart Agriculture Interventions towards the Avenues of Sustainable Production–Consumption. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14148410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the current scenario, climatic adversities and a growing population are adding woes to the concerns of food safety and security. Furthermore, with the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 by the United Nations (UN), focusing on sustainable production–consumption, climatic vulnerabilities need to be addressed. Hence, in order to map the sustainable production–consumption avenues, agricultural practices need to be investigated for practices like Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA). A need has arisen to align the existing agricultural practices in the developing nation towards the avenues of CSA, in order to counter the abrupt climatic changes. Addressing the same, a relation hierarchical model is developed which clusters the various governing criteria and their allied attributes dedicated towards the adoption of CSA practices. Furthermore, the developed model is contemplated for securing the primacies of promising practices for the enactment of CSA using the duo of the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) and Fuzzy AHP (FAHP). The outcomes result in the substantial sequencing of the key attributes acting as a roadmap toward the CSA. This emphasizes the adoption of knowledge-based smart practices, which leaps from the current agricultural practices toward the CSA. Furthermore, by intensifying the utilization of the improved and resilient seed varieties and implying the fundamentals of agroforestry, we secure primacy to counter the adversities of the climate.
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19
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Ronto R, Saberi G, Carins J, Papier K, Fox E. Exploring young Australians' understanding of sustainable and healthy diets: a qualitative study. Public Health Nutr 2022; 25:1-13. [PMID: 35796027 PMCID: PMC9991849 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980022001513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This qualitative study aimed to explore young Australians' perspectives, motivators and current practices in achieving a sustainable and healthy diet. DESIGN Semi-structured online interviews were conducted with young Australians. Interviews were audio-recorded using the online Zoom platform, transcribed and analysed using a deductive analysis method by applying the Theoretical Domains Framework and inductive thematic data analysis. SETTING Young Australians recruited via social media platforms, noticeboard announcements and flyers. SUBJECTS Twenty-two Australians aged 18 to 25 years. RESULTS The majority of participants were aware of some aspects of a sustainable and healthy diet and indicated the need to reduce meat intake, increase intake of plant-based foods, reduce food wastage and packaging and reduce food miles. Young adults were motivated to adopt more sustainable dietary practices but reported that individual and environmental factors such as low food literacy, limited food preparation and cooking skills, lack of availability and accessibility of environmentally friendly food options and costs associated with sustainable and healthy diets hindered their ability to do so. CONCLUSIONS Given the barriers faced by many of our participants, there is a need for interventions aimed at improving food literacy and food preparation and cooking skills as well as those that create food environments that make it easy to select sustainable and healthy diets. Future research is needed for longitudinal larger scale quantitative studies to confirm our qualitative findings. In addition, the development and evaluation of individual and micro-environmental-based interventions promote sustainable and healthy diets more comprehensively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rimante Ronto
- Department of Health Systems and Populations, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW2109, Australia
| | - Golsa Saberi
- Department of Health Systems and Populations, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW2109, Australia
| | - Julia Carins
- Social Marketing @ Griffith, Griffith University, QLD4111, Australia
| | - Keren Papier
- Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Elizabeth Fox
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
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20
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Affiliation(s)
- Asha Kaur
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam Briggs
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| | - Jean Adams
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mike Rayner
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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21
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Improving Food Security through Entomophagy: Can Behavioural Interventions Influence Consumer Preference for Edible Insects? SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14073875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Compared with meats, edible insects taste just as good, are equally or even more nutritious, and have a significantly smaller environmental footprint. However, the adoption of entomophagy is still limited, particularly in Western countries. Considering the environmental benefits of entomophagy and its potential contribution to food security, it is important to understand factors that can influence the willingness to try edible insects as meat substitutes, and policy tools that can encourage the adoption of entomophagy. This research conducts online experiments to test the effect of a wide range of personal traits and a behavioural intervention combining social norm nudges and information boosts. Our findings suggest that behavioural interventions are cost-effective tools to promote the adoption of entomophagy; consumers can be nudged and educated on the basis of the environmental consequences of their individual food choices and are receptive to adopting entomophagy as a sustainable alternative to animal protein.
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22
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Jia SS, Gibson AA, Ding D, Allman-Farinelli M, Phongsavan P, Redfern J, Partridge SR. Perspective: Are Online Food Delivery Services Emerging as Another Obstacle to Achieving the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals? Front Nutr 2022; 9:858475. [PMID: 35308264 PMCID: PMC8928270 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.858475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Online food delivery usage has soared during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which has seen increased demand for home-delivery during government mandated stay-at-home periods. Resulting implications from COVID-19 may threaten decades of development gains. It is becoming increasingly more important for the global community to progress toward sustainable development and improve the wellbeing of people, economies, societies, and the planet. In this perspective article, we discuss how the rising use of these platform-to-consumer delivery operations may impede advances toward the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, online food delivery services may disrupt SDGs that address good health and wellbeing, responsible consumption and production, climate action and decent work and economic growth. To mitigate potential negative impacts of these meal delivery apps, we have proposed a research and policy agenda that is aligned with entry points within a systems approach identified by the World Health Organization. Food industry reforms, synergised public health messaging and continuous monitoring of the growing impact of online food delivery should be considered for further investigation by researchers, food industry, governments, and policy makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Si Jia
- Engagement and Co-design Hub, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Si Si Jia
| | - Alice A. Gibson
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ding Ding
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Margaret Allman-Farinelli
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Nutrition and Dietetics Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Philayrath Phongsavan
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julie Redfern
- Engagement and Co-design Hub, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- The George Institute for Global Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephanie R. Partridge
- Engagement and Co-design Hub, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Barbour L, Bicknell E, Brimblecombe J, Carino S, Fairweather M, Lawrence M, Slattery J, Woods J, World E. Dietitians Australia position statement on healthy and sustainable diets. Nutr Diet 2022; 79:6-27. [PMID: 35233909 PMCID: PMC9311218 DOI: 10.1111/1747-0080.12726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
It is the position of Dietitians Australia that to promote human and planetary health, a food system transformation is needed that enables the population to adopt healthy and sustainable diet-related practices. A healthy and sustainable diet must (i) be nutritionally adequate, healthy and safe, (ii) have low environmental impact and be protective of natural resources and biodiversity, (iii) be culturally acceptable and (iv) be accessible, economically fair and affordable. Dietitians Australia acknowledges that it is critical to prioritise Indigenous knowledges in consultation, policy-making and implementation processes to achieve these recommendations. In facilitating the uptake of healthy and sustainable diets, dietitians are contributing to the transformation of our current food system that is urgently required to nourish present and future generations within planetary boundaries. In developing this position statement, opportunities for future research have been identified including those to advance the professions' capacity to improve environmental sustainability outcomes across all areas of practice. To achieve a population-level shift towards this diet, Dietitians Australia recommends: (i) the development of a National Food and Nutrition Strategy which honours Indigenous knowledges on food systems, (ii) the integration of sustainability principles in Australia's dietary guidelines, (iii) the reorientation of our food environment to prioritise access to healthy and sustainable foods, and (iv) investment in capacity building activities to equip the current and future nutrition and dietetics workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza Barbour
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics & FoodMonash UniversityNotting HillVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Julie Brimblecombe
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics & FoodMonash UniversityNotting HillVictoriaAustralia
| | - Stefanie Carino
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics & FoodMonash UniversityNotting HillVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Mark Lawrence
- Deakin UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition SciencesGeelongAustralia
| | | | - Julie Woods
- Deakin UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition SciencesGeelongAustralia
| | - Elizabeth World
- Dietitians AustraliaDeakinAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
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Bastounis A, Buckell J, Hartmann-Boyce J, Cook B, King S, Potter C, Bianchi F, Rayner M, Jebb SA. The Impact of Environmental Sustainability Labels on Willingness-to-Pay for Foods: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Discrete Choice Experiments. Nutrients 2021; 13:2677. [PMID: 34444837 PMCID: PMC8398923 DOI: 10.3390/nu13082677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Food production is a major contributor to environmental damage. More environmentally sustainable foods could incur higher costs for consumers. In this review, we explore whether consumers are willing to pay (WTP) more for foods with environmental sustainability labels ('ecolabels'). Six electronic databases were searched for experiments on consumers' willingness to pay for ecolabelled food. Monetary values were converted to Purchasing Power Parity dollars and adjusted for country-specific inflation. Studies were meta-analysed and effect sizes with confidence intervals were calculated for the whole sample and for pre-specified subgroups defined as meat-dairy, seafood, and fruits-vegetables-nuts. Meta-regressions tested the role of label attributes and demographic characteristics on participants' WTP. Forty-three discrete choice experiments (DCEs) with 41,777 participants were eligible for inclusion. Thirty-five DCEs (n = 35,725) had usable data for the meta-analysis. Participants were willing to pay a premium of 3.79 PPP$/kg (95%CI 2.7, 4.89, p ≤ 0.001) for ecolabelled foods. WTP was higher for organic labels compared to other labels. Women and people with lower levels of education expressed higher WTP. Ecolabels may increase consumers' willingness to pay more for environmentally sustainable products and could be part of a strategy to encourage a transition to more sustainable diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasios Bastounis
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; (A.B.); (J.B.); (J.H.-B.); (S.K.); (C.P.); (F.B.); (S.A.J.)
- Division of Epidemiology & Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, City Hospital, Hucknall Road, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK
| | - John Buckell
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; (A.B.); (J.B.); (J.H.-B.); (S.K.); (C.P.); (F.B.); (S.A.J.)
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford Richard Doll Building, Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK;
| | - Jamie Hartmann-Boyce
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; (A.B.); (J.B.); (J.H.-B.); (S.K.); (C.P.); (F.B.); (S.A.J.)
| | - Brian Cook
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; (A.B.); (J.B.); (J.H.-B.); (S.K.); (C.P.); (F.B.); (S.A.J.)
| | - Sarah King
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; (A.B.); (J.B.); (J.H.-B.); (S.K.); (C.P.); (F.B.); (S.A.J.)
| | - Christina Potter
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; (A.B.); (J.B.); (J.H.-B.); (S.K.); (C.P.); (F.B.); (S.A.J.)
| | - Filippo Bianchi
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; (A.B.); (J.B.); (J.H.-B.); (S.K.); (C.P.); (F.B.); (S.A.J.)
| | - Mike Rayner
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford Richard Doll Building, Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK;
| | - Susan A. Jebb
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; (A.B.); (J.B.); (J.H.-B.); (S.K.); (C.P.); (F.B.); (S.A.J.)
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