Boosting the number of plant-based options in canteens can nudge people to make more sustainable choices, new evidence has shown.
Researchers in the Livestock, Environment and People (LEAP) project at the University of Oxford found that increasing the proportion of meat-free to meat-based dishes in out of home settings offered a relatively straightforward way for caterers to reduce meat purchases which in turn could deliver substantial benefits both in terms of health and environmental impact.
The team carried out two natural field experiments and one online randomised trial to investigate the impact of altering the availability of meat alternatives on meal selection.
In the first study, they altered the ratio of meat-free meals in a university cafeteria from one plant based and two meat to two plant based and one meat over a four month period. Sales data showed purchases broadly reflected the proportion of meat-free meals available: when a third were meat-free, around 40% of purchased meals were meat-free, but when two thirds were meat-free, around 60% of purchased meals were meat-free.
The second study involved changing the menu in 18 worksite cafeterias to increase the availability of meat-free meals. The results showed a smaller effect: although meat-free sales increased where availability changed, researchers cautioned that only around half of chefs took up the new menu options meaning implementation of the experiment was poor, limiting the evidence.
In the third study, 2,205 UK adults were recruited to an online trial and divided into three groups. Each were provided four options for main meals, with either 25% meat-free and 75% meat, 50% of each, or 75% meat free and 25% meat choices. Just 12% of individuals chose meat-free when faced with predominantly meat options. Where choices were equal, 28% selected meat free, and where predominantly meat-free options were given, 47.5% of people chose meat-free.
“Our three studies suggest that changing availability of meat-free options could help encourage more sustainable food choices, though further research should look at barriers to chefs implementing such a shift,” said Dr Rachel Pechey, a researcher in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford.
