How to Promote Healthier and More Sustainable Food Choices: The Case of Portugal

Abstract

The demand for food has been increasing throughout the years, with notable preferences for animal-based foods. Considering the impact of the excessive animal-based consumption on the environment and public health, international organisations and the scientific literature have advised for a large-scale transition towards healthier and more sustainable food consumptions, i.e., a systematic decrease in animal-based consumption followed by an increase in plant-based consumption. However, to effectively promote healthier and more sustainable food choices such as plant-based ones, it is crucial to understand what motivates consumers’ food choices. Based on primary data (N = 1040), representative of the Portuguese population, it was possible to assess the potential motivators behind food choices, allowing to provide guidelines for policy decision. The impact of different socioeconomic characteristics, food consumption orientations, and food-related behaviours on food choices was estimated. In general, most of the drivers of plant-based meals were also motivators for reducing animal-based meals. The main findings demonstrate that the more environmentally conscious and informed the consumer, the more likely they are to choose more plant-based and less animal-based meals on a weekly basis; not only informed consumers, but consumers who actively look for information before buying choose more plant-based meals. Thus, not only information, but, more importantly, education regarding food characteristics and its impact on society should be the focus of policymakers. Understanding the drivers and barriers of food choices is vital for informing future food policy to promote healthier and more sustainable choices rich in plant-based foods, both for Portugal as well as for other European countries, particularly the southern ones with similar culture and where the Mediterranean diet is highly promoted.