Abstract
ObjectiveReducing meat consumption would have substantial benefits both in terms of health and environmental impact, but meat options may be more attractive to customers than meat-free options. This study tested this by presenting UK adults (n = 540) with a series of pictures showing two meal options and asking them to select which they would prefer to eat right now. They completed this task for every possible pair from a pool of six comparator meat-based options and six target options (66 pairs). Participants all saw identical comparator options, and were randomised to see the same pictures of target options but with descriptions that suggested they were either meat-based or vegetarian.ResultsSelections were used to rank the options for each individual from 1 (most-selected) to 12 (least-selected). Vegetarian target options were ranked worse [by 1.23 places (95% CI: 1.02, 1.44)] than meat target options. Higher self-reported consumption of meat predicted worse mean rankings of target options when these were vegetarian, but not when target options were meat-based. This suggests meat options are preferred to equivalent vegetarian options and may be more likely to be selected. This has implications for interventions aiming to reduce meat consumption to make diets healthier and more sustainable.
Highlights
Reducing meat consumption could lead to substantial benefits both in terms of health and environmental impact [1]
The results of this study suggest that meat meal options are selected more often than vegetarian options even when visual attractiveness and meal type are held constant
Meat options were increasingly selected with increasing frequency of usual meat consumption
Summary
Reducing meat consumption could lead to substantial benefits both in terms of health and environmental impact [1]. Preferences for meat may play a substantial role in determining food selection and consumption, with the most common reason given for eating meat in a large Belgian survey being taste [3] This reflects reported barriers to reducing meat consumption including enjoying meat and family food preferences [4]. In order to try to isolate differences due to the presence or absence of meat, the study compared responses to the same picture of a meal, which was described as either a vegetarian option or an equivalent option containing meat This tightly-controlled study allows an exploration of the extent to which the meat component drives preferences, independent of the meal type and the visual attractiveness of the meal
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