Saving the world, one plate at a time? Accelerating a green consumer behaviour transition in the food market

Abstract

The PlantPro project aimed at researching the acceleration of an efficient green consumer behaviour transition in the food sector, with a major focus on more plant-rich diets. It is a research project funded by Innovation Fund Denmark which ran from the first of April, 2021 to December, 2024. Social scientists focusing on the food sector from three Danish universities, including Aarhus University, Copenhagen Business School, and the University of Copenhagen, collaborated with 16 partners – sector representatives from large and small companies, retailers, NGO´s, think tanks, and network organisations. As such, the project is unique in its focus on market and behaviour, and the way it brings together a broad range of stakeholders. The research in the project explored previous and ongoing food sector transitions, consumer-citizen behaviour changes and perception across different segments, and the actions to nudge, inform, or motivate behaviour change in different public and private choice contexts. This research was built on well-studied theories of sector sustainability transitions and social tipping, as well as a broad range of behaviour change theories. Diverse methods were used, ranging from case studies and expert interviews, to repeated representative surveys following trends over time, and experimental online surveys looking at specific mechanisms of change, to finally lab and real-life experiments looking at household, canteen, and supermarket behaviours. As a practical implication, the project delivers a catalogue of marketing and policy actions that can contribute to accelerating an efficient green consumer behaviour transition in the food sector. We list and describe this catalogue on the next pages. We have three major conclusions. The first is about the status of change. The second is about the road from here. The third is about the range of actions for both immediate and sustained effects.The PlantPro project aimed at researching the acceleration of an efficient green consumer behaviour transition in the food sector, with a major focus on more plant-rich diets. It is a research project funded by Innovation Fund Denmark which ran from the first of April, 2021 to December, 2024. Social scientists focusing on the food sector from three Danish universities, including Aarhus University, Copenhagen Business School, and the University of Copenhagen, collaborated with 16 partners – sector representatives from large and small companies, retailers, NGO´s, think tanks, and network organisations. As such, the project is unique in its focus on market and behaviour, and the way it brings together a broad range of stakeholders. The research in the project explored previous and ongoing food sector transitions, consumer-citizen behaviour changes and perception across different segments, and the actions to nudge, inform, or motivate behaviour change in different public and private choice contexts. This research was built on well-studied theories of sector sustainability transitions and social tipping, as well as a broad range of behaviour change theories. Diverse methods were used, ranging from case studies and expert interviews, to repeated representative surveys following trends over time, and experimental online surveys looking at specific mechanisms of change, to finally lab and real-life experiments looking at household, canteen, and supermarket behaviours. As a practical implication, the project delivers a catalogue of marketing and policy actions that can contribute to accelerating an efficient green consumer behaviour transition in the food sector. We list and describe this catalogue on the next pages. We have three major conclusions. The first is about the status of change. The second is about the road from here. The third is about the range of actions for both immediate and sustained effects