Eating less meat doesn't just happen

It is necessary to change ingrained everyday food routines in order to eat more sustainably and healthily, in the PBL study 'Changing food consumption' seven elements of policy have been elaborated to promote more sustainable and healthier food routines. Starting point: the consumer cannot do it alone. There will have to be collaboration between chain parties such as supermarkets, catering and food producers, influencers and governments.

This study identifies three starting points for changing eating patterns: more sustainable and plant-based eating, less food wastage and buying products that have been produced in a more sustainable way.

Elements of policy for more sustainable and healthier eating patterns

Based on a practice approach that considers consumption as socio-cultural routines:

1. Make parties who help shape food routines jointly responsible for making them more sustainable.
2. Steer for simultaneous change in different elements in order to break the routine and make it more sustainable.
3. Learn through trial and error to make adjustments possible and actively involve consumers in the experiments.
4. Translate policy goals into measures that are in line with what people do in their daily routines and find meaningful.
5. Engage with life events (such as having a child and moving house) where consumers rethink their routines.
6. Engage with and monitor existing change processes that (can) encourage more sustainable routines.
7. Implement consistent policies to avoid policy efforts at different levels and areas working against each other.

Click here to download the study (Dutch only)

www.pbl.nl