Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US

The consumption of animal-source foods, and particularly red meat from ruminants, is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, and loss of biodiversity. Reducing red meat consumption has been identified as a key strategy to mitigate climate change; however, little is known abo...

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Main Authors: Downs, Shauna M., Merchant, Emily V., Sackey, Joachim, Fox, Elizabeth L., Davis, Claire, Fanzo, Jessica
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/152262
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author Downs, Shauna M.
Merchant, Emily V.
Sackey, Joachim
Fox, Elizabeth L.
Davis, Claire
Fanzo, Jessica
author_browse Davis, Claire
Downs, Shauna M.
Fanzo, Jessica
Fox, Elizabeth L.
Merchant, Emily V.
Sackey, Joachim
author_facet Downs, Shauna M.
Merchant, Emily V.
Sackey, Joachim
Fox, Elizabeth L.
Davis, Claire
Fanzo, Jessica
author_sort Downs, Shauna M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The consumption of animal-source foods, and particularly red meat from ruminants, is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, and loss of biodiversity. Reducing red meat consumption has been identified as a key strategy to mitigate climate change; however, little is known about how to effectively intervene to promote its reduction in the United States (US). This study aimed to examine meat (red, unprocessed, and poultry) and seafood consumption patterns, the factors influencing their consumption (including a reduction in their consumption over time), and how these differed based on socioeconomic variables. The study was conducted through an online survey with a representative sample of the US population (n = 1224) in 2021 using KnowledgePanel®. Overall, we found that most participants reported consuming red meat (78%), processed meat (74%), or poultry (79%) 1–4 times per week, with several differences in consumption patterns based on socio-demographic characteristics. A substantial proportion of the population reported reducing their red (70%) and processed meat (64%) consumption over the previous year, which was much higher than those that reported reducing poultry (34%) or seafood (26%). Key factors influencing red meat reduction were health and price, while environmental sustainability and animal welfare were less important, particularly among certain socio-demographic groups. These findings can help provide insight into how best to frame messaging campaigns aimed at shifting red meat consumption in the US to support climate change mitigation. Focusing on the factors that resonate more with consumers is more likely to lead to shifts in consumption patterns.
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spelling CGSpace1522622025-10-26T12:56:24Z Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US Downs, Shauna M. Merchant, Emily V. Sackey, Joachim Fox, Elizabeth L. Davis, Claire Fanzo, Jessica animal source foods consumer behaviour diet feeding preferences meat sustainability The consumption of animal-source foods, and particularly red meat from ruminants, is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, and loss of biodiversity. Reducing red meat consumption has been identified as a key strategy to mitigate climate change; however, little is known about how to effectively intervene to promote its reduction in the United States (US). This study aimed to examine meat (red, unprocessed, and poultry) and seafood consumption patterns, the factors influencing their consumption (including a reduction in their consumption over time), and how these differed based on socioeconomic variables. The study was conducted through an online survey with a representative sample of the US population (n = 1224) in 2021 using KnowledgePanel®. Overall, we found that most participants reported consuming red meat (78%), processed meat (74%), or poultry (79%) 1–4 times per week, with several differences in consumption patterns based on socio-demographic characteristics. A substantial proportion of the population reported reducing their red (70%) and processed meat (64%) consumption over the previous year, which was much higher than those that reported reducing poultry (34%) or seafood (26%). Key factors influencing red meat reduction were health and price, while environmental sustainability and animal welfare were less important, particularly among certain socio-demographic groups. These findings can help provide insight into how best to frame messaging campaigns aimed at shifting red meat consumption in the US to support climate change mitigation. Focusing on the factors that resonate more with consumers is more likely to lead to shifts in consumption patterns. 2024-12 2024-09-17T14:56:11Z 2024-09-17T14:56:11Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/152262 en Open Access Elsevier Downs, Shauna M.; Merchant, Emily V.; Sackey, Joachim; Fox, Elizabeth L.; Davis, Claire; and Fanzo, Jessica. 2024. Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US. Appetite 203(1 December 2024): 107667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107667
spellingShingle animal source foods
consumer behaviour
diet
feeding preferences
meat
sustainability
Downs, Shauna M.
Merchant, Emily V.
Sackey, Joachim
Fox, Elizabeth L.
Davis, Claire
Fanzo, Jessica
Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US
title Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US
title_full Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US
title_fullStr Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US
title_full_unstemmed Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US
title_short Sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the US
title_sort sustainability considerations are not influencing meat consumption in the us
topic animal source foods
consumer behaviour
diet
feeding preferences
meat
sustainability
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/152262
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