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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on the Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: A national experiment on food labeling found that Americans are more likely to choose fruit and vegetable options when these are labeled as "healthy," "sustainable," or "healthy and sustainable," rather than "vegan" or "plant-based."
• This study, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, reveals significant preferences in food labeling that influence consumer choices.
🔭 The context: The study, led by Patrycja Sleboda at Baruch College, City University of New York, involved a sample of over 7,000 Americans
• It highlights a growing understanding that terms like "vegan" and "plant-based" are less effective in persuading meat eaters to choose foods without animal products, despite their health and environmental benefits
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Reducing consumption of animal products can significantly lessen the environmental and climate impacts of diets
• This study suggests that emphasizing the positive attributes of plant-based foods, rather than their non-animal nature, could be a more effective strategy to encourage this dietary shift
⏭️ What's next: The challenge remains in finding the most effective ways to encourage meat eaters to reduce their consumption of animal products
• The study suggests that focusing on the health and sustainability benefits, rather than the vegan or plant-based content, could be a more successful approach
💬 One quote: "If you switch to healthy or sustainable, that highlights the benefits of choosing that option and that makes it more attractive," said Wändi Bruine de Bruin, a co-author of the study
📈 One stat: Only 20% of participants chose a food basket labeled "vegan," but this increased to over 40% when the baskets were labeled "healthy," "sustainable," or "healthy and sustainable."
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