Study shows carbon footprint labels could encourage people to eat less red meat
According to a study published in the journal Jama Network Open, carbon footprint labels associated with products such as red meat have the potential to be an effective way to encourage people to reduce their purchases of planet-polluting foods.The study involved a nationally representative sample of 5,049 US adults who were asked to select from fast food menus a food item they would like to order for dinner. Participants were randomly assigned to several groups (including a control group). Some were given menus with green labels indicating low-climate-impact dishes (eg, chicken, fish, or vegetarian dishes), and others were given menus with red labels, which indicated high-climate-impact foods (in particular featuring red meat). Menus with a green label featured the message: “This item is environmentally sustainable. It has low greenhouse gas emissions and a low contribution to climate change.” Menus with a red label read: “This item is not environmentally sustainable. It has high greenhouse gas emissions and a high contribution to climate change.” Shifting current dietary patterns toward more sustainable diets with lower amounts of red meat consumed could reduce diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 55 per cent,” the researchers outlined.